Chapter 3: Things Haven't Changed

A Shiver moved down Lily's spine as she looked to the sky, a horrible feeling covering her. She looked between the faces of the frightened children, watching as tears were rolling down their cheeks, while others desperately tried to act strong. "Who has an owl?" Lily yelled as she looked over the crowd, watching the children stay silent. "I am a Prefect and we have to Owl the Ministry, who has an owl?!" Lily yelled as a little girl stepped forward with a tiny excuse for an owl. "He'll have to do." Lily said as she took the owl in her hand. "I need paper an a quill!" She yelled, watching as Alice stepped forwards.

"I have a droobles Gum Wrapper." She said with a shrug as a little first year came forward.

"I have half of a black crayon." She said as Lily took both things.

"It will work." She said as she took them, straightening out the wrapper.

Help

Hogwarts

Train wreak

Lily wrote as she strapped the small letter to the bird's leg as she pushed it into the air, watching it fly into the distance. "Where is the Head Girl?" She asked the Head Boy. All he did was hang his head, indicating she didn't make it. She sighed as she looked over the crowed of frightened students. "No one Panic, and please no one wander off!" Lily begged as she looked over them, trying her best to hide her fear. "The Ministry will send people soon to get us, for now please don't move, we need to stay together." Lily said as whispers and murmurs filled the air, causing Lily to wince. She felt tears stinging her eyes as she looked to the sky once more, a skull with a snake formed firmly in the clouds.

Lily walked back over to where James sat; now accompanied by Sirius, Remus, and Peter. Lily sat down with them, resting her head on her knees. "Lily, what's going on?" Peter asked slowly, his young eyes filled with fear. Lily reached out a ruffled his hair and sighed, hugging her knees to her chest.

"As best as I can figure, it was an attack." Lily said softly, causing Peter to gasp.

"An attack?" Sirius whispered, looking at her with a quirked brow. "How do you figure?" He asked as she pointed up into the sky. Eight eyes looked upwards, gasping as they whipped their heads down as not to draw attention to the sign. "Oh, that's how." Sirius said as he played with his sleeve. Lily quickly wiped a tear away from her eye, resting her chin on her knees once more.

"Are you afraid, Lily?" James asked as he placed his hand on her shoulder. Lily inhaled shakily as she looked at him, she wanted to say no; but who in their right minds weren't frightened? She nodded as James pulled her into a hug; she sighed as the years of hate fell away. Deep down Lily knew there was no way the Owl would reach the Ministry before morning, so things as trivial as that were a thing of the past.

Lily leaned against James, allowing his arm to drape across her shoulders. She looked over at Peter; he was a year behind him, not to mention one of the youngest in his year. Tears were welling up in his eyes as Lily motioned him forward, stroking his hair in a comforting and motherly way. It wasn't long till all the Marauders and Lily were laying against each other, watching the sun falling over the hills. The Head boy began walking around, handing out transfigured blankets to everyone, smiling softly as he came apon the group. "Thanks for the help Lily." He said as he handed them multiple blankets.

"No problem." She said as she shared a blanket with James. She felt slightly uncomfortable as she looked at him out of the corner of her eye, knowing only hours ago she had hated him. Still the thought of him putting her before himself did dissolve some of the malice away. She still wasn't exactly fond of him, but comfort was needed, and he was the first one to offer it. She rested her head on his shoulder, feeling him shiver slightly. A muffled sob came from Peter as his head was rested on Lily's legs, his eyes looking up at the sky.

"We're going to be ok Wormtail." James said soothingly, causing Lily to look at him slightly puzzled. "The Marauders have been in tougher scrapes then this." He said confidently, causing Peter to smile softly.

"I guess you're right." He said softly, pulling the blanket up on his shoulders. Lily leaned against James, feeling his arm hold her tight to him.

"I'm proud of you Lily." He whispered in her ear as she looked at him in a confused way, asking 'why' with her eyes alone. "The way you took charge immediately, it was really brave of you." He said as he held her a little tighter.

"I had to." She said softly as she looked at him slightly pained. Why was she on his shoulder, of anyone's in the school why his? Scrunched her nose as she looked at Remus, why hadn't she gone to him for comfort? Why James? She looked around and decided she could think of it later. She looked around between the students, weren't the professors wondering why they hadn't arrived at school? Had something happened to them? Lily felt another shiver move though her as she looked at the other people, seeing their tears of grief and fright. She reached her hand up and pushed her hair away from her face, feeling a wave of fear moving through her.

Merlin alone knew what dwell in these woods. She looked behind her, here eyes widening as she looked into the darkness. She turned her head back to the Marauders, noticing Peter to be asleep on her legs, and Remus and Sirius fast asleep leaning against a rock. James on the other hand was still awake, rubbing his thumb over the bare skin of her arm. "What are we going to do?" Lily whispered to James, looking at him. "Who ever caused that wreak has to be close by." Lily said in an even softer voice, watching, as James's eyes grew frightened.

"We out number them, we'd be fine." James said as he looked at her surly.

"James, everyone under fifth year wouldn't know enough, half of the people would be to frightened to move. Slytherins are probably in on this, and most aren't in any condition for a fight." She whispered causing James to wince.

"You can't think like that Lily." James said softly as he looked at her intently.

"Then how am I supposed to think?" She asked in a defensive tone, her voice barely above a whisper.

"That we're going to be fine." James said as he kissed the top of her head, leaning his head against hers. Peter rolled over, allowing Lily to move her legs. She brought them closer to her body, snuggling into James subconsciously.

"Things haven't changed between us, I'm still not going out with you." Lily said causing James to laugh lightly. He placed his fingers under her chin and kissed her forehead gently, pushing her hair behind her ear.

"I know love, I know." He said as he rested his head against hers, soon falling asleep. Lily sat awake, while everyone around her was asleep. We're going to be fine; we're going to be just fine. She reassured herself before closing her eyes. And I still hate James... I mean Potter!

The morning light brought no solace to the children, the wreak was still all to real. Lily woke up slowly, so much more sore then she had been the night before. She groaned as she brought herself into a sitting position, waking up James in the process. "Is the Ministry here yet?" James asked as he looked around the makeshift campsite.

"No." Lily said quickly as she stood up, streaking her arms in an attempt to work the kinks out of her muscles. "Don't move." She said to the now awake boys, walking away to find Alice and Frank. She looked over the people, her heart aching at the site of them. Everyone looked so hopeless, so helpless. Lily came apon the Head Boy, Amos Diggory. "Amos, what are we going to do." Lily said softly as she knelt beside him, trying to stop the panic from rising in the younger students. Amos sighed, rubbing his eyes quickly.

"If no one comes by noon, we'll have to have the strongest apperate to The Ministry, until then we need to keep everyone calm and together." He said as he looked at her slightly worried. "Why hasn't Dumbledore come?" He asked as he looked at her in a worried way.

"I don't know Amos, maybe something's happening at the castle, or maybe they're on their way now." Lily said as she stood up and walked away, searching once more for her friend. She soon found Alice and Frank huddled together with a large group of other people. They were still asleep, and Lily decided it best not to wake them. She shook her head as she walked back over to the Marauders, who were emptying their pockets to see what they had.

"Okay, we have; four wands, a half a box of Bernie Botts, a Chocolate frog, a bit of string, a button, a paper clip, and a hell-of-a-lot-of pocket lint." James said as they looked at the pile, Remus scratching his head. "We can make this work." James said as he looked over at Lily, motioning her to sit down.

"What are you guys doing?" Lily asked as she looked at each of them slightly confused.

"Making breakfast." Peter said stiffly.

"Yep." Remus added as he changed the pocket lint into water, and the paper clips into biscuits.

"Oh my turn!" Sirius said with a smile as he changed the string into Spaghetti.

"For breakfast?" Lily asked with a confused look.

"Hell ya." Sirius said as he grabbed a chunk and stuffed it into his mouth.

"Guy's everyone's hungry." Lily said as she stood up.

"Then everyone should transfigure their crap." Sirius said as he swallowed down the food, moving in for more.

"Not what I meant." She said as she pointed her wand at the bowl. "Engorgio." Lily said as the food grew to an enormous size, enough to feed the entire Gryffindor house at least. She ordered others to do the same, smiling as food was popping up every where. James just smiled at Lily, placing his hand on her back as he leant apon a large stick Sirius had transfigured into a crutch.

"Go job." He said with a smile as he looked around at the other students. "Not exactly like Hogwarts, but close." Lily let out a small laughed as she rolled her eyes, looking at him scoldingly.

"We're working with pocket lint! How do you think this is going to work?" Lily asked as she crossed her arms.

"I don't know, but somehow you made it." James said as he grabbed a handful of food. Lily turned away as a small blush rose in her cheeks, maybe she and James could at least learn to be friends. "Will you go out with me, Lily?" James asked right on cue.

"Don't push it Potter." Lily said as she looked over at the hills.

"Is that a no?" He said causing her to glare at him quickly.

"That's a no." She said as she shook her head.

"Damn." He said as he stuffed more food into his mouth.

"You're a prat."

"I know."