A/N: Ok so here's chapter 2! I was going to wait for my friend to beta it, but I decided not to since I can always edit this later. Any suggestions would be helpful and to all who reviewed my last chapter, thank you so much…it means a lot to me and it encourages me to keep writing. Thanks!

Disclaimer: Ok, so you're going to meet a new character in this story: Brandon Parkinson. He's Pansy Parkinson's father, but I made up the first name, since I can't find out Pansy's parent's names. If you know, please tell me in your review, but I'm pretty sure J.K. Rowling has never mentioned them. So, it's kind of half and half, but not really…for now, I'll say he's mine.

Hope you enjoy this!

elise

"You two are free to go," Tortoyla said, looking up from her desk. "Potter, I shall see you tomorrow night, same time, same place."

"Yes, Professor," Sirius and James said in unison, extracting their hands from the tub full of rat spleen and leeches they'd been sorting through. They hurried out of the classroom and as soon as they were out in the hallway Sirius let out an indignant growl.

"That…that….slime ball piece of scum!"

"Now, come on Sirius," James said, patting his friend's shoulder, "calm yourself." Sirius's eyes flashed. "It could've been worse." Sirius snorted.

"Psh…yeah, whatever."

"At least you don't have to have another week of it," James reminded him. Sirius grimaced.

"Good luck mate."

"Thanks." They entered the library and Remus looked up from a table and beckoned them over, a slightly amused expression on his face.

"So, how was it?" he asked, turning the pages of a book that lay open in front of him, filled with pictures of potion ingredients.

"Great," James said, "couldn't have been better." Sirius only narrowed his eyes before reaching under the table and grabbing his book bag that Remus had brought along; James did the same, pulling out a quill and some parchment as well.

"Remus! Remus! I found it!" A breathy voice spoke in James' ear and he looked up to find Peter Pettigrew staring at them all, a huge book in his arms which he held excitedly out to Remus.

"Good, good, Peter, just put it there," Remus instructed, gesturing towards the table.

"You don't need it?" Peter asked, his face crestfallen.

"Later, Peter, just leave it there for now." Peter placed the book on the table and then took a seat next to Sirius and began gathering up his quills and parchment.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Sirius demanded.

"I'm done with all my homework," Peter said proudly, grinning. "See you later."

"He's done?" James asked incredulously; Remus shrugged.

"Apparently, now quit bugging me." James sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. He might as well get all his homework done tonight, he had detention for the rest of the week; not that it should bother him, he and Sirius were striving to set the school record.

"Eh, come on James. What're we doing homework for on the first night back?" Sirius asked.

"What else do we have to do?" James responded, opening his Charms manual. "Besides, I want to get it all done tonight; I have Quidditch practice tomorrow evening." Sirius sighed.

"Fine, fine, be that way." Remus looked up from his parchment, frowned at Sirius, shook his head, and then resumed his writing. James flipped through the pages of his manual and then proceeded to write about the use of the Fidelius Charm.

"Well, Potter, you're actually doing homework? Now, that's impressive." James looked up and wasn't at all surprised to see Brandon Parkinson looking down at him, a wide smirk plastered on his face.

"I'd shut up, if I were you," Sirius growled. Brandon placed a hand on his chest and feigned shock.

"My, my," he said, "how threatening. I just wanted to point out to Potter here that he looks quite handsome bent over his parchment, his eyes narrowed in concentration, doing his homework like a good little school boy."

"What do you mean?" James asked, standing; Brandon chuckled softly.

"I mean to say, James, that you may consider yourself quite good looking, but you're just not quite up to some women's standards; particularly Evans'."

"What?" Brandon grinned.

"I'm off to go and sit with my girlfriend," he said, "see you later." He raised an eyebrow at James before turning and going to join Lily at a table. She turned to look at James and he could've sworn something like a smile flitted across her face. Slowly, James sat back down in his chair and stared in disbelief at the parchment before him. Lily choosing Brandon over him? It just wasn't possible. Sirius read his mind and clapped his shoulder.

"Come on, mate, it'll be alright. Do you want me to beat him up for you?"

"No, Sirius, not this time."

"What did you just say?" Remus asked in astonishment. "You're not going to beat him up?"

"Shut up, Remus," James said, lowering his head so he couldn't see the tears that had suddenly formed in his eyes. He glanced quickly at Lily who was engaged in a deep conversation with Brandon. Frustrated, he shook his head, stood, and swept all his books into his bag and made for the door of the library.

"Hey, James! Wait!" Sirius cried. But James didn't wait; he kept walking, walking, and walking down the long, cold, stone corridors of the school, not paying attention to anything around him. Brandon's voice kept playing over and over in his head.

"I'm off to sit with my new girlfriend." The sight of Lily talking to him made James' sick. It just wasn't possible. No one had ever turned him down before... they couldn't! He was James Potter... but... maybe he wasn't all that he thought he was... like Brandon said... how else would Lily chose that dipwad over him? Tears threatened to leak from behind the eyes that weren't willing to believe what they saw.

"You did what?" Olivia asked, astounded.

"I agreed." Lily answered, leaning back in her chair. Olivia's eyes widened even more.

"I can't believe it," she murmured, staring into the fire. "You actually said yes to Brandon?"

"Well, why not?" Lily demanded angrily. "He's a nice boy." Olivia snorted.

"Lily, what is wrong with you? Last year you said you hated Brandon because he called you a Mudblood every time he saw you!"

"Well, that was last year," Lily insisted. "But, he's changed over the summer, I think. He's a lot nicer now and quite good looking."

"Psh, ok, sure, he's ok looking, I'll give you that, but he hasn't changed Lily!"

"Yes he has!" Olivia shook her head and sighed deeply.

"Alright then…"she murmured.

"What's wrong with him, Olivia?" Lily demanded. "Why shouldn't I go out with him?"

"Well, Lily, to tell you the truth, he's not your type of guy."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember what you told me last year after I asked why you kept refusing to go out with Potter? You wanted a guy who respected you, had a good sense of humor, did well in school, was good looking, and was against Voldemort. Well, I hate to break it to you but Brandon isn't any of those." Lily opened her mouth to speak and then immediately shut it, like a fish gasping for air.

"Well, whatever Olivia! My priorities have changed!" Lily stood up and angrily stomped up the stairs to the girl's dormitories. Sighing, Olivia leaned back in her chair, running her fingers through her long blonde hair.

"Sure they've changed…sure." She looked up as the portrait hole swung open and was surprised to see Potter come storming in, alone, without Sirius, Remus, or Peter by his side. His hair was messed up, as usual, but his eyes were red, and he was biting his lip and walking quite fast.

"Oi! Potter!" Olivia cried, standing up. "What's wrong?" Potter glanced at her but said nothing and continued on his way up to the boy's dormitories; Olivia could only guess what had made him so mad. With a groan, she sank back into her chair and stared dully into the fire. Her cat, Isabella, leapt onto her lap and she stroked her absentmindedly.

"It's going to be a long year," she said, "a very long year."