Chapter Nine: A new beginning

Three years later

"Sirius Black I'm gonna kill you !" Fifteen year old Lily Evans yelled at the top of her lungs as she stomped down the corridors of the Hogwarts Express. Every one sticking their heads out of their compartments to see what the commotion is for.

"Sirius what have you done to my cat ?" Lily yelled as she searched each compartment for the one where she would find the dark haired boy with grey eyes.

Lily gave up her search and headed back to her compartment. "He'll have to pop up sooner or later." Lily thought to herself.

"Ahh my dear Lilian I have heard that you have been looking for me. What may I ask is the problem." Sirius said in a voice that sent Raven laughing.

Lily slammed the door. "Problem? What is the problem? My cat is green!" Lily's voice getting louder.

Pretending like he didnt see anything wrong with that , "And my eyes are grey, what's the point?"

"I named her midnight for a reason." After seeing Sirius's clueless face. "She was black, and you bloody well new that.

"My dear, you should watch that potty mouth of yours...Fine I can see when my gifts arent appreciated. I'll change her back."

"Thank you." Lily breathed.

"I suppose you would like for me to change back your owl too?"

"What did you do to blizzard." Lily asked almost too afraid to hear the answer.

"Nothing, I just charmed it, so that now its invisible, and it gives out the scent of dung bombs, and when ever it opens it's mouth you'll hear a siren."

As soon as those words escaped his lips a loud siren came into their compartment. Filling the air with a not so pleasent smell.

"Padfoot will you fix that thing." James yelled over the loud siren while trying to hold his breath.

"Yeah, that thing smells horrible." Remus coughed.

Both Lily and Raven were on the floor covering their ears, while trying to block the scent.

After about five minutes Their compartment and both of Lily's pets were back to normal.

"Sirius, never ever come near my pets again do you hear me?":

"Perfectly." He replied as if nothing happened.

Simone who had remained silent for the entire trip so far began to tell Raven and Lily of her summer when a sixth year Hufflepuff came into their compartment. "Umm Lily can I speak to you for a second."

"Sure, what do you want to talk about."

"Um, in private."

"Oh okay"

Five minutes later when Lily came back in, she was immediately bombarded with questions.

"What did he want?"

"Did he ask you out."

"Of course he asked her out."

"Did you accept?"

"Oh Lily I am so jealous!"

"He can I speak? " Lily finally managed to get in.James, and Remus stood back and watched Sirius, who was asking most of the questions.

"Okay, now to answer your questions, yes he asked me out, I did not accept, so Raven their is no need to be jealous."

"Are you mad !" Raven shouted. "Shawn Matthews is the best looking sixth year in the entire school. What's not to like? He has blonde hair, big brown eyes, he's keeper for the hufflepuff team. What is their not to like?"

"He's just not my type, I'm not into the light hair with the dark eyes. I guess I'm into the reverse. You know dark hair and light eyes."

"Really, my dear Lilian " Sirius was now passing his hands throught his jet black hair.

"No Sirius" Lily said, catching on to his act.

"Oh well. But You know Lily I agree with you, I always knew great minds think alike." Sirius said putting an arm around Lily's shoulder.

"Sirius, the fact that you think that we think alike is very scary, and what are you talking about?"

"We're attracted to the same kind of person."

"So what your saying is that you are attracted to boys with dark hair and light eyes." Lily said raising an eyebrow at Sirius. This sent Remus and James into hysterics.

"Potter you shouldnt be laughing." Lily said, as she finally stopped laughing.

"Why is that Evans" he said.

"Oh Lily can I do it?" "Please." Simone quickly cut in.

"Go on."

Simone walked over to James.

"You know James, I love your jet black hair and your sapphire blue eyes. A perfect combination." She then walked away muttering to herself just loud enough for everyone to hear."Yep dark hair and light eyes a perfect combination." Neither Raven or Lily could hold it in any more, they were on the floor laughing, each trying to get the other one up. Remus quickly caught on, took one look at the lost look on James's face and was on the floor laughing with Lily, Raven, Simone, and now Sirius.
James then understood,

"You guys are sick, just plain sick." he stood up. "You guys coming? We havent pranked any Slytherins this entire ride." He directed this last part to Remus and Sirius.

"You know," Sirius began, ignoring James and lowering himself so that he was eye to eye with Raven "I love your jet black hair and your sapphire blue eyes. A perfect combination." He then walked past the door where Remus and James stood, muttering to himself just loud enough for everyone to hear."Yep dark hair and light eyes a perfect combination." He stepped back in a few seconds later to see everyone's face.

"It was under my impression that we were going to prank some Slytherins." Sirius said with a smile that could easily get a girl to change her religion as he pushed Remus and James out the door, but not before winking at Raven which everyone saw, including James and Remus who were out the door.

"It was under my impression that we were going to prank some Slytherins." Sirius said with a smile that could easily get a girl to change her religion as he pushed Remus and James out the door, but not before winking at Raven which everyone saw, including James and Remus who were out the door.

"What the $#! was that ?" James asked with forced self- control.

"What was what? Sirius said with an angelic face.

"You and Rave and the winking, what was that?"

" I dont know." Sirius said truthfully.

"Well you better not know."

"Shhh." Sirius pulled out a dungbomb and ran up the corridor as quietly as human possible and placed it in the hair of Amanda Smith, a Slytherin in her fifth year who was walking along the corridors. This task was really easy because she always put alot of things in her hair to give it a wild look. But unfortunately it looked too wild, so you could easily slip things into her hair without her noticing.

Sirius ran back to James and Remus who ducked into the nearest compartment.
All talking going on in the compartment immidiately ceased. The three boys turned around to discover a group of 2nd year Hufflepuffs. The five girls sat there with their eyes wide with awe


"Sorry to barge in we just need to go through the other door ." James said

"Of- of- of course go ahead." A girl with baby blue eyes and blonde hair said. The other four girls just sat there watching the three fifth year boys.

"Why thank you, and may I add you are all looking quite ravishing." Sirius said bowing to them.Which immidiately sent the girls into a fit of giggles.

"You'll have to forgive my friend here, he's been hit in the head by too many bludgers." Remus said, looking at Sirius warily.

"That could never happen, I've seen him play." One girl said just barely above a whisper.

"Well thank you." Sirius said. The girl immidiately began to blush. Obviously she wasnt expecting anyone to hear her.

"Well , we have to get back to what we were doing. Thank you for letting us hide out in here." James said, while ushering the other two out into the compartment.

"Well I have put my part in pranking the Slytherins for the train ride, whose going next? Moony, Prongs, Wormtail?" The last name ended in a whisper. "Hey Prongs where is wormtail? "

"I have no idea, I dont think I saw im this entire trip, have you Moony?

"Nope"

"The stupid git probally missed the train." Sirius laughed. Just as he said that they heard someone let out a scream. They immidiately recognized it to be Amanda.

"I see someone found something wrong with themselves." Sirius smiled.

"Padfoot I'm surprised that you didnt pull a bigger prank, I mean something as small as putting dung bombs in Amanda Smith's hair is something that Wormtail would do. Are you dying out on us." Remus said knowing that Sirius would get mad.

"You compare me to that git? And you dare say that I Sirius R. Black is dying out. Oh I am just gonna have to prove you wrong." Sirius began speaking to himself. "I Have to do something big that every one is gonna feel..."

"Way to go Moony, now for his next prank he's gonna blow up the train." James said jokingly, but still he watched his best friend warily.

"I got it !!"Sirius half shouted.

"So what prank are you gonna pull" Remus asked lazily. Both he and James were sitting on the floor since it had been fifteen minutes since Sirius started thinking.

"I'm gonna go streaking through all of the compartments." Sirius replied happily as if he just found out that Gryffindor won the house cup. Sirius could feel both James and Remus's jaws drop to the floor.

You're gonna do what ? You have got to be kidding me." Remus having to force the words out.

"That's it I'm out of here, I will be in our compartment and if you do it please dont go in there." James said getting up.

"Wait you're not gonna leave are you?"

"What did you want me to help you get undressed, cuz if that's the case I'll be gone before you can even say snitch." James eyed Sirius nervously.

"No, God no. I just though you guys would want to take part in this with me."

"I don't think so." And before Sirius knew it, both James and Remus were gone.

"Well I guess it was pretty stupid. Oh well I gotta come up with something else."

In the compartment a few minutes ago

"So, Raven, what was that all about?"

"Yeah, inquiring minds would like to know." Lily said, leaning in.

"Nothing, what are you talking about?"

"Oh please Raven, your face is almost as red as my hair. So don't give me that nothing crap."

"Yeah he left like five minutes ago and your still blushing." Simone added.

"Do you like him ?" Lily asked with a grin on her face.

"What? Come on guys, it Sirius."

Lily and Simone looked at each other "We know" they chorused.

"Yeah we know it's Sirius, and why are you saying it like its a bad thing?"

"Well Simone, maybe Raven is onto something, who would want an athletic fifteen year old, with mischievous looking gray eyes, a great sense of humor, and if I am not mistaken is currently standing at 5'11." Lily responded, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I didn't mean it in a bad way."

"Yeah in what way did you mean it?" Simone asked.

"I, its just, It's Sirius."

"Yes we know that, I think that we have been introduced."

"Lily could you shut up? Thank you. What I meant was that we grew up aroung each other wouldn't that make us like brother and sister?"

"Good point I guess" Lily frowned.

"Well here's a way to find out." Simone said suddenly.
"Raven can you see yourself dating Remus?" "What ?"

"Just answer the question."

"No."

"Can you see yourself dating Peter?" Simone asked but everyone knew the answer.

"Oh god no"

"And obviously you don't see yourself dating your brother."

"Do you see yourself dating Sirius?"

"Well...." Raven blushed.

" Oh come on Rave don't fight it." Lily said.

"Yeah believe me you could do a lot worse.... A lot worse.. Way worse. I mean like miles and miles and..."

"I get the point Simone."

"Just making sure."

"But I don't even know why we are having this conversation. He was just playing around."

"Whatever, I need to change the topic before miss in denial kills me with her stupidity."

"Lily I am not in denial. It's the truth."

"Any way, moving the conversation wheel over to Simone."

"Huh?"

"What up with you and Remus?" Lily asked.

"WHAT? Nothings up with Remus and I."

"Really?" Raven asked.

"Yeah, I was under the impression that you liked him, maybe I was wrong. But for me to be wrong since second year? I don't think so. So fess up. Do you like him?"

"Lily what would make you think that I have liked Remus since second year?" Simone asked.

"Well it's just that Raven and I"

"Raven your in this too?" Simone asked.

"Well...yeah" Raven admitted.

"Oh come on Simone, just admit it, you like Remus." Lily wouldn't stop until she got a confession.

"Yeah you know you've liked him since first year." Raven added in, glad that they were no longer talking about her and Sirius.

"Okay I admit it, I like Remus are you happy?"

"Very" Lily said sitting back down.

"Quite." Raven replied.

"How could you guys tell?"

"Rave you wanna start the list off?" Lily asked with a sly grin on her face.

"It would be my honor. Okay for starters, he's the only marauder that you don't dis on, take it away Lils."

"He's the only marauder that hasn't been ordained your official servant." Lily said referring to all the times James or Sirius had to go to the kitchens at two o' clock in the morning to get her a snack .Of course Raven and Lily took advantage of this, and the boys didn't mind either, this was just another opportunity for them to eat.

"He's the only one that you're quiet around." Raven came in.

"He's the only one that you haven't inflicted some pain upon." Lily smiled at her blushing friend who was getting redder by the second.

"And both of your personalities match." Raven ended the list for her friends sake.

"Yeah and don't think we're running out of things. We are just stopping because if your face gets any redder you'll make my hair look white in comparison." Lily joked.

"Could you guys just stop? And besides you know he's not too much into dating. So there would be no point in me trying."

Both Lily and Raven knew what Simone was talking about. In their third year the girls got sick of the boy's excuses for Remus always leaving so they followed them one night. When they saw the boys turn into animals and heard the howling they put two and two together. But of course they never told the boys that they knew. And they automatically knew why he never asked anyone out. They figured that he didn't want to risk them finding out.

"Who's not into dating?" Remus asked as he and James entered the compartment.

"Oh no one important." Lily said quickly.

"James what are you doing?" Simone asked quickly, hoping to change the topic.

"Locking the door." He answered as he muttered spell.

"We see that bro, but why are you locking the door and where's Sirius?"

James looked at her suspiciously and then answered. "Sirius is the reason we are locking the door."

"Believe me girls we have your best interests at heart." Remus said sitting down next to Simone which immediately made Lily whisper something to Raven. Simone happened to see this and got up.

"I have to go change into my robes." Simone made up.

"Why Simone, we don't get to school for another two hours." James asked, looking at all three girls suspiciously.

Without answering she immediately went and grabbed her robes from her bag.

"Ms. Cassadine I believe Potter asked you a question." Lily said, trying to hold in her laughter.

Without another word she left the compartment through the other side since James didn't lock that one.

"Oh thanks for reminding of that one." James went sprinting to the door, locking it after Simone left.

"What's her problem" Remus asked.

"Nothing." both Lily and Raven said.

After about five minutes their was a a pull at the door knob and then a knock.

"Who is it?" Remus asked, not looking up from the game of wizards chess that he was playing against Raven.

"It's Sirius. Why is the door locked?"

Remus immediately dropped his bishop, causing Raven's queen to whack it.

"Umm what are you wearing?" James asked from the other side of the door.

Lily and Raven immediately shot each other quick glances. It wasn't everyday that they heard a boy asking another what the were wearing.

"Potter would you like for us to leave you two alone?" Lily asked.

James glared back at Lily. Which she returned.

"No you guys, James has a reason for his question." Remus said when he stopped laughing.

"Yeah Sirius said that he was gonna go streaking as his prank for the train ride."

"What?" Raven asked.

"You're kidding , right?" Lily asked.

"Nope, afraid not Evans." James smirked at the look on Lily's face. He then turned back to the door, Sirius are you wearing all of your clothes?" "Yes, now will you hurry up? Simone is starting to lose her patience.

"Hey where's Simone?" James asked peering into the corridor.

"Oh she wasn't really out there, but I did see her. Why is she already in her robes?" Sirius asked, sitting next to James.

"Who knows." Remus responded.

"We do." Lily whispered to Raven.

"Then why is Simone acting all weird?" James asked

Lily stared at him with her mouth slightly open.

"How did you hear me?" Lily asked. "I was barely audible."

"Potter males have extraordinary hearing skills." Raven replied.

"So you gonna answer my question." James asked.

"Nope." Lily and Raven said at the same time.

Lily who all of a sudden became interested. "So tell me what other characteristics do the Potters have?

"I didn't know you cared so much." James said with a smirk on his face.

"I'm curious, and shove it Potter." Lily spat the last part.

"Um let's see, the males have really good hearing, it makes up for their poor vision." Raven started.

"You mean all the men in your family wear glasses?" Lily asked some what amazed.

"Yep." Sirius said.

"What else, oh the Potter women have horrible anger problems." James replied.

"I know that for sure." Remus responded. But was soon hit in the head with a cushion by Raven.

"Oh I don't know if it's true but I heard that all Potter's are supposedly really good kissers." Raven said. At this Lily involuntarily stole a glance at James, which Sirius noticed.

"Yeah I heard that one too." James said. At that moment Simone came in with three wagons full of food.

"Ah you are my hero." James said rushing to one of the wagons.

"Why have you been gone all this time?" Raven asked although she knew why.

"Well it's really hard to pull three wagons full of food from the front of the train." Simone said sitting on the other side of Raven.

"Simone what happened to you? Remus asked through a mouthful of chocolate.

"I just said that...."

"No, what happened to your robes?" Remus asked.

"Oh nothing I got a little side tracked."

"Oh my god what happened?" Raven asked now noticing that Simone's sleeves were torn.

"Nothing I just got into a trouble." Simone said, wishing that they would drop it.

"Come on." Lily and Raven dragged Simone out of the compartment.

"I wonder what that's all about." Sirius said.

After a few seconds they heard Raven shouting. "They did what? I'll show them who to mess with" The next second Raven and Lily slammed the compartment door open each grabbed their wands and left.

"What's going on?" Remus and James asked at the same time.

"Oh god, Simone said rushing into the compartment grabbing her wand and running out.

"Lets go." The three boys said. When they left their compartment No one was in sight.

"Where do we go?" As Sirius said that Lily came flying through the glass of a compartment at the other end of the corridor slamming against the wall and ending up on the floor.

"Lily!!!!!" James yelled as he ran to her. Lily tried to get back up but couldn't. By now all of the student were either in the corridor with James and Lily watching James move the glass away from her or in the corridor on the other side watching as Raven punch Narcissa repeatedly and Simone trying to block the hexes being thrown by Bellatrix.

Knowing that Sirius and Remus could handle themselves he levitated Lily back to their compartment, practically barking at any one who got in his way.

"Lily are you okay?" James said looking really worried, while kneeling next to her.

"Yeah, that stupid git caught me unprepared." Lily muttered bitterly while trying to sit up.

"Maybe you shouldn't move." James looked at her nervously.

"I didn't know you cared so much." Lily said with a grin creeping up on her face.

"I don't, your my sister's best friend." James said while wiping the line of blood that was coming down her face with a cloth that he transfigured from a left over chocolate frog.

"So, if my sister's best friend got thrown out of a window I wouldn't move a muscle." Lily said quite seriously.

"Yeah well I like my sister." James pointed out.

"That's true." Lily frowned, but then smiled hey Potter, you called me by my name.

"What? I always call you by your name." James said.

"No, you called me by my first name." Lily smiled.

"No I didn't." James said, realizing that he did.

"Yes you did, that's the first time in almost five years, Potter don't tell me you're getting soft on me." Lily smirked while attending to a bruise on her leg.

"So what if I am." James winked at her and left the compartment, leaving a confused Lily.

"What was that supposed to mean?" Lily thought to herself.

Two minutes later Raven came in trying to restrain a furious looking Sirius, followed by a tired Simone who was walking along side Remus followed by an amused looking James.

"Why am I related to those bches?" Sirius yelled kicking over one of the wagons that Simone brought. "And their boyfriends, ohhh you think its a coincidence that Narcissa is dating Malfoy?" Sirius was now pacing back and forth.

"Calm down mate." Remus replied. The rest of the train ride was basically spent in silence, every one in their own thoughts. In the middle of the feast Peter came panting over to them.

"Mate what happened to ya?" James asked.

"I missed the train." He mumbled.

"Ha, told you." Sirius half shouted happily...

The next morning every one in the Gryffindor tower woke up late due to the fact that the marauders threw a welcome back bash in the common room that was eneded by Professor McGonagall at four in the morning. Since it was a Saturday nobody cared that they woke up late. In the common room the marauder's were perfecting their map while students were trying to finish their summer homework. When they were done Lily, Raven, and Simone came in the common room looking quite pleased with themselves.

"What are you looking so smug about?" James asked Lily.

"I do not look smug." While Raven looked over Remus's shoulder at the map.

"Wow you've improved it." Raven said impressed.

"Yep now you can also see when people are flying." Sirius said quite proud buffing his nails on his shirt.

"What ever." Lily replied rolling her eyes.

"Hey we need to go do some planning." Sirius said and with that the boys left the common room. When they were sure that the boys were gone the girls started jumping up and down.

"I cant believe we finally did it." Lily squealed.

"Yeah we're finally animagi." Simone said being the first one to sit back down.

Since the beginning of their fourth year they found it unfair that the boys were animagi so during Christmas break they started researching and found their perfect animals.

Lily was a white tiger but with her green eyes. Raven was an eagle that was the same color as her black almost blue hair. Simone was a husky that had her same chocolate eyes.

"Lily you had to be the prettiest tiger that I've ever seen. Of course you're the only tiger that I have ever seen," Raven said.

"Oh we can use her to scare Slytherins." Simone said.

Raven then got a dreamy look on her face" Lily you could attack Bellatrix and Narcissa."

"Yeah that would be great." Lily said adopting the dreamy look on her face.

"Yeah Remus is our friend too, we should be able to help him too." Simone said to no one in particular, while holding onto a pillow.

"So Simone are you gonna ask Remus out?" Raven asked.

"No." She said sadly.

"What?" Lily asked coming back to reality.

"Why?" Raven asked.

"I'm too scared of rejection." Simone said a bit of shame in her voice.

"Sim everyone is scared of rejection." Lily said.

"Yeah you just have to find a moment when you're not as scared. Raven replied.

"But what if he says no?" Simone asked.

"Make him say yes." Raven replied devilishly.

"And what is that suppose to mean?" Simone raised her eye brow.

"What ever you want it to mean." Raven said innocently.

"So Lily" Raven began. "You've been awfully quiet, what are you thinking about, or should I ask who are you thinking about." Raven smiled.

"James." Lily said with out thinking about what she just said.

"What?" Both Raven and Simone half shouted.

"Oh no, no. No. Not like that." Lily said. "I'm just thinking about something he said to me." Listen I'm gonna go bathe." Lily limped over to the bathroom, she was still a little bit sore from the train ride. When they heard the water on Raven ran in to make sure Lily was in the tub.

"Oh man I knew I shouldn't have gotten happy when she said she was thinking about my brother."

"Yeah I didn't even bother. There is no way that she would make it that easy for us." Simone said.

"Nor James." Raven said.

"We need to hold a meeting with Sirius and Remus. It would be a lot better if they helped. And there is no point in bringing Peter in this" Simone said.

"Yeah.." Raven agreed. In their fourth year Raven let Simone in on her theory that Lily and James would end up dating and ever since then the two girls have been planning.

"But we need to do it when we know that they cant over hear." Simone stated.

"Shall we go find them?" Raven asked.

"We shall."