Dear all,

I know you probably hate me right now if you actually enjoyed reading this story and wanted to read some more. Its just that my computer kind of crashed for a very long time and I just now got it back completely restored with all my saved things, which is good because if it hadn't come back with my saved information, I don't know how much longer this would have taken me. Anyways, I'm really sorry. I hope you enjoy the next chapter :]

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I still do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters/plots/ideas/etc. used in this story, unless you haven't seen it in HP. Because then it is mine.


Chapter 5: The Death Eaters

POV: James Potter

I realized that I still hadn't written my mum or dad yet. I've received owls in the morning during breakfast from them and think, 'Oh, I'll get back to them later on today', but I never do!

So I've decided to write them a letter:

Dear Mum and Dad,

School has been extremely boring this year. So far the NEWT classes have given us mountains of homework which I have attempted to do, though the only class I'm really good at is Transfiguration. I haven't had one row with Snape, I knew you both would be proud! And Lily Evans, the girl I'm always talking to you both about, is Head Girl. She doesn't seem to hate me as much this year. I'm sorry it has taken me so long to write you both, you know I have meant to but never got around to it.

And yes, Mum, I have been remembering to wear socks. And I miss you both, too.

Love, your son,

James

I went up to the Owlery before breakfast on Monday morning so that I wouldn't forget. Today during Potions, I decided not to sit with Lily, just to see her reaction, which I am pleased to inform was slightly surprised. I walked in a couple minutes after her and sat next to Remus, causing Sirius to sit with some good-looking Ravenclaw (not that he minded).

My eyes glanced over to her as soon as I had walked in, and I saw she had looked at me. I pointedly strode over to Remus, said good morning, loudly, and dropped my books onto the table. She raised her eyebrows at me, so I grinned and she turned away shaking her head; well, at least no rude side-remark or glare. I even believe that as she was turning, a faint smile formed on her lips.

POV: Lily Evans

Okay, so I will admit that I was pretty surprised when James didn't come and sit by me and I guess I felt slightly hurt. I was getting kind of used to him and enjoyed his company, at times, like when he made jokes about Professor Slughorn and such.

And I will also admit that when he came walking in, I couldn't help but wonder and when he grinned at me, I shook my head and turned around so that he wouldn't see the smile that almost broke through. I guess his grins are slowly becoming infectious to me.

James has really changed, even I have noticed this, and I don't see the harm in at least trying to be friends with him…especially if he really has gotten over his strange fancy for me.

So during lunch, I decided to sit with Marcel and Penny who were, once again, sitting by the Marauders.

"Ah, Evans, you've finally decided to join the biggest trouble makers in school?" Sirius asked me, grinning.

"No, actually, I've decided to join the weirdest group of people in the school."

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "I will say that we are weird, but we are also the biggest trouble makers—"

"Not anymore, actually. This year we haven't had any trouble with you…well, you, Black, have been doing a few things, but Remus, James, nor Peter have been involved in these little schemes," I replied, smirking.

"What has Dumbledore done?! Making Prongs Head Boy was the worst mistake ever!"

"What about me?" James asked as he sat down by Sirius. He looked over at me and grinned, I couldn't help but smile at least the tiniest bit back. Like I said, they are slowly growing on me.

"Because you are Head Boy, we haven't been getting into trouble. Now that I think about it, I haven't had detention once this year! We have to change this, Prongs. I now know why I've felt empty the past two weeks,"-James and I exchanged confused looks-"it's because I've been deprived of my fun and mischievous manner!" Sirius practically shouted these last words.

Try as I might, I couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Black, honestly, you are one of the most ridiculous people I have ever met," I managed to get out. He was being incredibly dramatic and I could not contain my laughter, something I hadn't really done in a while, so it felt good. Sirius and James (as well as Remus, Peter, Marcel and Penny) looked at me like I was insane, but eventually James joined in and then Remus and Peter. Penny and Marcel continued looking at us like we were insane and Sirius glared.

"It isn't funny," he muttered through gritted teeth.

"Yes, actually, it is," I replied, slowly calming down, my laughter much more controlled.

Lunch ended on good terms. James helped Sirius see the comedy in his little proclamation and he was his jolly old self again.

The rest of the day passed quickly. That evening was the first day of the new Gryffindor Quidditch team's practice. Penny was extremely nervous and excited, twirling her pretty black hair with her finger. She was worried that she would do horribly and James would kick her off the team because of her inability. Marcel and I had to calm her down.

Finally it was time and I wished Penny good luck as I watched Marcel and her walk down to the pitch. Then, I decided to head to the library and finish up on homework.

When evening approached, James barely made it in time for our evening patrols, but still arrived.

"Ready, Evans?" he asked as he skidded to a halt beside where I was sitting, on a chair next to the portrait.

"Oh, Potter, I didn't even see you or the rest of the team walk in," I told him, looking up from my book. His hair was slightly damp and extremely messy, he had his usual arrogant grin on his face, and he was sitting on the arm of my chair and leaning in towards me, his glasses slowly slipping off his nose, yet I didn't do anything about it; I didn't glare at his annoying hair, I didn't make a rude comment, I didn't back away immediately or yell at him to get off. I let him sit that close to me and kind of enjoyed the moment.

Okay, something is definitely wrong with me.

Maybe its just some friend thing: I finally have accepted him as a friend. Yes, that was probably it.

He continued, grinning, "I know, we are lightening fast."

I nodded and did a half-smile, getting up, causing him to do so as well. "Alright, let's go."

*

POV: James Potter

I am so good. She didn't yell at me or anything. We strode down the hallway, having a civilized conversation, something I have become very good at this year.

I was pretty amazed at the drastic turn our relationship has taken over the past, oh, few weeks?

Has it really only been a few? The Marauders and I had always thought it would take months, years, for Lily and my relationship to come this far. Ha, I have proven them wrong…Alright, maybe it has taken over six years, but still I think it's shorter than they had anticipated.

Anyways, we were walking and talking, a semi-weekly routine: Monday and Thursday evenings.

I was actually pretty surprised at how easy we were able to talk with rare awkward silences (our silences were very comfortable).

As we walked, we discussed the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend. October was approaching and the first date was set to be the second weekend of the month, so we had to make flyers and tell prefects to post them in their common rooms.

After a while, we fell silent, the only noise being our footsteps, which were in sync. I watched her as we walked, the moon almost full…Almost full. I hadn't really noticed Remus's mood swings, but now that I think of it, I do remember him being crabby, particularly during Charms. Tomorrow we would probably have to go to the Shrieking Shack with him and the other Marauders. Which was fine by me: I had decided I needed some time away from school.

Lily looked at me expectantly then. I realized she had just asked me a question, but my brain didn't register it. I looked at her with a blank expression on my face.

She sighed.

"I was asking if you understood the Transfiguration essay due tomorrow," she told me.

"Oh, of course. That stuff is simple." I grinned. We were learning about Animagi, something I was already an expert over.

"Could you help me?" she asked me timidly. She looked so cute and helpless right then, her eyes curious and nervous; she had almost never needed help before and if she did, I would normally be the last person she would ask.

"Of course I will. Once we get ba—"

A crash drowned out my sentence. My first thought was: Of course, Peeves, but then I heard voices and they definitely weren't from a ghost.

"I told you to not to come tonight. You can't handle it, you'd aren't one of us, yet," we heard, coming from down the hall.

I thrust my arm out, to stop Lily, but she was already ahead of me, heading for the voices.

"Stop," I hissed. "I'll check it out." I used my advantage of being a strong Quidditch player to grab hold of her wrist and stop her. She glared at me and tried to keep going.

"What is your problem?" she whispered back. "Its probably just some kids preparing to sneak out somewhere." She tried to keep going, but I was able to restrain her.

"Seriously, Evans, just let me." I don't know why, but I had a gut-feeling that these kids were some Slytherins up to no good.

She rolled her eyes, luminous in the moonlight, but stopped and crossed her arms, waiting. I let her go, feeling a little twinge of annoyance that I was no longer touching her, and slowly crept forward.

The voices kept going.

I wished I had brought my map.

I carefully and quietly peeked around the corner at the end of the corridor and saw, of course, three Slytherins discussing with one another. One of them was Sirius's cousin, Regulus Black, and the other two were in my year: Avery and a girl I didn't know the name of.

They were having a heated discussion and though I wanted to eavesdrop a little longer, but with Lily so close behind me, wanting to break up this little get together, so I went ahead and walked out into the open.

"What are you three doing up?" I asked them.

They all glared at me.

"What are you doing here, Potter?" the girl spat at me.

"I am a Head Boy and have a right to be roaming the halls. However, you three do not. Now, go back to your dormitories while I take twenty points from each of you," I responded coolly.

They glared at me and slowly began retreating back towards the dungeons. "Hold up." I thought about what they had been discussing just a few moments before. "What were you talking about before?" I asked them.

Only Regulus had stopped. The girl and Avery had continued walking as if they hadn't heard me. I didn't try to stop them, though, as I knew I would probably get nothing out of them.

Regulus stared after them and didn't turn around. It was a moment before he answered my question. "Its nothing," he said quietly, with a strain to his voice.

"That is obviously nothing. What were you guys supposed to do tonight?" I asked softly.

"None of your business. It was just…stuff," he answered before shuffling after them.

I knew that this "stuff" was probably something that has to do with the fact that both Avery and the girl are Death Eaters and Regulus was bound to follow in their footsteps. Especially with a family like his that he was always trying to please.

I sighed and turned back around where I saw Lily leaning over something on the ground.

"What's that?" I asked her.

"Something that one of them dropped. The thing that crashed…" she said thoughtfully. "It looks as if it contained some potion…I don't know. Oh well, let's continue." She straightened up and with a flick of her wand, cleared the mess.

We continued walking in silence, both immersed in our own thoughts, mine trying to figure out what the Slytherins were doing and Lily's probably over the potion in the vial.

POV: Lily

Last night I had had the strangest dream. I was riding a broomstick, something I never do, through the Forbidden Forest. Then, I saw James and Remus coming out, looking exhausted and disheveled. They seemed to both be laughing, when suddenly four people appear out of no where with black robes on and masked faces, wands pointed at them, shouting curses. I screamed for them to run, but it was too late, they had already been hit. I tried to fly down and save them, but I couldn't. It was like the broom wouldn't move and I was stuck.

I have no idea what it was all about, but by the time breakfast came around, it was the last thing on my mind.

"So, James, you are going to help me with our Transfiguration essay, correct?" I asked him while I played with the untouched food on my plate.

"Of course. Tonight," he replied, grinning. I half-smiled back.

Owl post came, James receiving a letter from his parents and Marcel receiving one from her older brother, Vicente.

After breakfast, I headed to class and listened to my teachers drone on. During lunch, I went to the library to get a headstart on my Transfiguration essay, using the books from the library to help me understand, though I still didn't.

That evening, I went to the common room and waited for James to come, trying once again to work on my essay, without much success. It seemed to take quite a while for him and his friends to finish their dinners, as I hadn't seen any one of the Marauders arrive at the tower. I took a break and went downstairs expecting to find them in the Great Hall, but it was nearly empty. I checked the library, but they weren't there either. Puzzled, I returned to the common room and tried working on it on my own. This didn't work out well. I had no one to help me and though I still had a few more days to finish, I was not one to procrastinate.

"Hey, Lily," I heard a soft voice speaking to me.

I turned around and saw Marlene.

"Hi, Marlene. How are you?"

"I'm good. I miss sitting with you at lunch, though. Its been an entire day," she said, smiling.

I smiled, too. I felt honored that she wanted me to sit with them.

"If you want, I could sit with you guys again. I know how lonely it must be for you to have the two lovebirds," I joked, gesturing to Frank and Alice arguing over something yet again.

She chuckled. "Yes. Though it seems like you enjoy your new friends," new friends being the Marauders, "Maybe we could join you guys. Make the group go from seven to ten," she suggested.

"Of course! We would love it if you guys sat with us."

She smiled. "Thanks. Oh, and what are you doing? You seem a little stressed."

"A Transfiguration essay over Animagi, something I know nothing about."

Marlene muttered something that sounded like, "Well, that's a first." Then she spoke up and said, "I'm sorry. I would help, but I can't. Sixth year." She pointed at herself. "But if you want I can sit with you and give you moral support."

Marlene is so sweet. "Thank you, Marlene, but I think I'll go to bed. Its not due tomorrow, anyhow."

She nodded and we both went upstairs together and went to our separate dormitories.

"Hello, Lily," Penny sang when I walked in. My roommates were sitting on Marcel's bed, looking at a magazine.

"Hi Penny, hi Marcel," I told them both.

"Would you like to join us? We are discussing boys," Penny sang once again.

I laughed. "No thanks. I think I'll go to bed."

Marcel giggled at something Penny had just whispered to her. Then she looked up at me thoughtfully. "So...it seems as if you and James are getting along well," she commented.

I nodded. "Yes, so it seems," I answered, trying to be formal about it.

"Very well, if I might add."

I could feel my cheeks beginning to flush. "Erm...I guess," was all I managed to stammer out. How did she know that I might possibly for some twisted reason like him?

Ohmygosh. I can't believe I just thought that.

I erased the thought from my head completely.

"So, has he asked you out yet? And when he does, which he will," she added when she saw me about to protest, "you'll answer yes, right?"

My eyes widened and my face froze like that. Honestly, how did she know all these things? Deep down inside, I knew I would want to say yes, although I would never admit that. And I hated myself for knowing what my answer would want to be because all my life I've been denying James Potter, so I can't suddenly like him...or can I?

I eventually cleared my head of all thoughts and replied: "I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

Before I closed my curtains, I saw them exchange a knowing glance.

POV: James Potter

I am such an idiot! I completely forgot that I was supposed to be running around tonight with Remus when I promised Lily that I would help her.

And then I completely forgot that I was supposed to help her until I went running around with Remus. I am such an idiot!

All evening, I've been a little grumpy: she would probably be mad at me tomorrow or something. Ugh! Why was I so dumb?

But I kept my best attitude as I wandered through the empty streets of Hogsmeade with Remus, Sirius, and Peter by my side.

Tonight was a full moon and the three of us were accompanying Remus as he transformed into his other werewolf self. It helped him stay more calm with us around and we didn't mind. We loved sneaking out and roaming during the nights, turning into different animals and playing around in the silent town.

Still, I couldn't help but think of Lily, upstairs, attempting to do her essay, without any help from an expert on the subject, me. Let's just say it was a long night.

The next morning, I was sent yet another letter from my mom. Apparently she had gotten my first letter after she had sent the one from yesterday morning, so she was replying to it. I pocketed it, making a note to reply later on today. I was going to be a responsible and good child and respond to my parents' letters. Lily came down after breakfast had already began. She looked well-rested, which I took as a good sign, meaning that she didn't stay up late to work on the essay.

When she sat down, between Marlene and Marcel, who was across from me, she glanced over at me. I smiled hesitantly and was surprised to see it returned. I would have expected her to be furious with me or at least slightly angry. But I didn't detect any sign of anger or annoyance. A few moments later, as Lily began piling some food onto her plate, a beautiful white owl with flecks of black all over its soft-looking coat stopped directly in front of Lily and held out it's leg, waiting for her to untie the letter. She looked surprised; I'm assuming this is because she hasn't receive any letters in a while, only two from her mum and dad and the Daily Prophet, which she gets everyday.

She untied the string and opened it up cautiously. She read the first line, furrowing her eyebrows as she did so, and skipped the rest of the letter, her green eyes landing at the bottom, where the signed name was.

"Oh!" Lily gasped. Her eyes widened with surprised and her mouth was round. She stared at the letter.

"What's the matter, Lily?" Penny asked.

"Its just that…" Lily replied not able to finish, creating a long pause.

"What?" she asked again, not really listening since she was in the middle of reading a letter that she was just brought.

"I got a letter…" Pause.

"Obviously," Marcel said, rolling her eyes.

"From…" She had another long pause.

"Oh, come on, Lils! The suspense is killing me. From who?" Marcel asked me, practically ripping the letter from my hands.

Marcel gasped as well, handing the letter to Penny, as Lily answered, "From Heather."

Gasp! Cliff hanger! Ahh!!

Haha, I don't know when the next chapter will be ready. Hopefully soon, but with school and stuff, who knows?

Hope you liked it :]

Please review-I enjoy criticism.

Thanks.

-Mai