Its almost 2011. (:

Did you know that?

Because, you know, it is. (:

Anyways; next chapter?

Yeah.

Read on. ... Read on, read on, read until your dreams comeee trueeeeee!

The steam rolled out of the train, the scarlet and black inviting James and Sirius warmly. They had already located their compartment with Remus and Peter, stowing away their belongings. It was nearing noon when a knock came at the door.

"Remus? The meeting is starting in ten minutes, are you coming?"

Remus nodded. "We were just getting ready to leave."

Lily looked at him. "We?"

"Yes, we," James nodded, pushing past her into the hall.

"Potter, the meeting is for heads and prefects only."

"I'm quite aware," he nodded coolly before making his way down towards the meeting room.

"So," Lily hissed through clenched teeth, grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling him back, "you should not be going anywhere near that room, unless you'd like a detention before we're even half-way to Hogwarts."

He spun around, nearly ripping his shirt from Lily's hands. "Unless you would like a detention for harassing the head boy, I suggest you refrain from pulling on my shirt."

The red-head's mouth open to shoot back a retort, however she froze, her eyes flickering down to his chest. "Merlin, you've got to be kidding me."

"As much as I would love to not spend seventh year listening to your yelling at me, when I've done nothing wrong, Dumbledore clearly had other plans. So, if you'll allow me to walk, I'll just be on my way to the meeting."

Sirius stared.

Remus stared.

Peter stared.

Alexis stared.

Lily dropped her jaw. She let go of his shirt completely as if she were burned, and she watched him walk down the hall, her eyes full of pain and guilt. She had realized that near the end of the school year last year, after she had clearly told him she would never love him, he only looked at her from afar. He never got too close, and he avoided her like the grim.

But hadn't that all been foreplay? Hadn't that all said he was just going to bounce back next school year?

Sirius turned to Lexi, his eyes wide. "I didn't think he was serious."

"Of course not," Lexi laughed lightly, "you're Sirius, you big dumby."

"Lex…"

"I know. Just trying to lighten the situation… Look at Lily."

Upon hearing her name, Lily's mouth snapped shut, and she lowered the hand that had previously been restraining James. She turned to look at Lexi before huffing and starting down the hall, followed by Remus.

"Lily—" he called, only to be cut short when she whipped around to glare at her friend.

"Remus, what the hell was that? Is this some sort of prank? Why is Potter acting like he hates me?"

Remus shrugged. "Maybe because you still call him Potter? Maybe because you burn the flowers he gives you? Maybe because you don't even listen to him when he's trying to tell you that he's sorry for something that you overacted to and he really has no need to apologize, but still does because he wants you happy? Maybe because you've broken his heart time and time again without a single thought? Maybe because you call him a bullying toe-rag for defending himself and his friends? Maybe because you hexed him because your 'best friend' had just called Lexi a… you-know-what? Maybe because—"

"Merlin, Remus, I was going to let you say them all, but how many more are there?" Lily hissed, spinning around to walk and continue their conversation at the same time.

"Oh, love, I don't think I've covered one-sixth of them," he explained, "he's not a complete git. He likes to have fun, and he holds grudges. Merlin forbid him to have a heart. One that may be in pieces right now if he's not even wanting to be around you. It takes a lot, Lily. And you just gave him too much." He told her, before pushing past her.

She was once again frozen. Remus had never snapped at her, and he was usually on her side about James. He usually comforted Lily. He defended James at times, but never had he gone as far to snap at her.

"Lily?" she heard a voice behind her. She knew that voice. And she didn't want that voice near her. And he savoir of that voice was… Hated her.

She took off down the thin walk way, ignoring his footsteps behind her.

"Lily, please just speak a single word to me."

She whipped around. "A single word, eh, Sev? How about two? Or, better year, four; piss the hell off." She knew in the back of her mind she'd regret that; she was Lily Evans. She rarely ever swore. Only ever at Potter. But, in a way, she was swearing at Potter. He wasn't there to save her this time.

She reached the compartment with less than a minute to spare(after sprinting away from Severus, who had chased her more than half of the way), her breaths coming in gasps.

"Sorry," she heaved, hunching over, regaining her breath in the minute she had left. Once she could stand without her side throbbing, she looked at Potter, her eyes narrowed. How could he simply abandon her like that?

Like you've done to him so many times? A voice in the back of her head wondered. She ignored it, standing next to him, refusing to meet Remus' eyes that were boring into her.

"Okay," she nodded, clapping her hands together once, twining her fingers together nervously. She was head girl. What if she messed up? Set a bad example for the new prefects?

James stared at her, waiting for her to proceed. When her jaw remained open, he turned towards the others. "Why don't we jump right in? New prefects, meet with either your seventh year prefects in your house after this meeting, or approach Lily or myself. Don't be scared of us. We will inform you of what to do on patrols, rounds, how to deal with unruly behavior, and such else. For now, we'll go over why we are here today.

"Rounds will be different this year," he nodded at the older prefects.

"Not too different," Lily added, finding her voice once again. "Two pairs of you will be sent out per round, you will each be assigned one area."

"Each round will cover two floors, also. Each pair will have one floor, so it is covered in less time."

"Yes, unlike before when one pair would cover two floors alone and it would take much longer."

"Next piece of business is punishment this year. While you can take points, you must inform your head of house of the offense. Only seventh years may take without consulting a teacher, due to a very unfortunate occurrence last year."

"Also, teachers now have scheduled days for detentions. You will memorize this schedule. Don't worry, it stays the same every week, but if you're to give a detention, you must inform them of the teacher. This it much easier because you don't have to schedule detentions, you simply know when it is."

"Now, we're on to rounds today. Fifth years, you will have rounds today, but you will pair with a sixth or seventh year. Actually, you will most of the time, anyways. The first rounds until thirty minutes after one are going to be patrolled by Hufflepuff."

"From then until half after two, Gryffindor will do the rounds."

"At that time, Slytherin will take over until three thirty."

"And after them, Ravenclaw will patrol until four-thirty."

"After Ravenclaw rounds, Lily and myself with round for the last hour, allowing you all to change and prepare," James said, nodding at the prefects. He had to admit, he may not have been a prefect himself, but so far, he was turning out to be a good head boy. Even if he and Lily had been bouncing the speech back and forth.

In reality, he simply wanted to prove Lily wrong, but he knew that he could do this. Even without the push from Lily.

In the back of his head, he knew he would never be over the red-headed girl he had fallen in – dare he say—love with over the years, but what was the point anymore? She didn't want him defending her, didn't want him around her, didn't want him being nice to her… He sighed. Life would be easier without her, but in a way, she was no longer in his life, right?

He pushed these thoughts to the back of his mind as four girls approached him. One from each house. He resisted the urge to snort. All of the new prefects were approaching him? Or, all of the female prefects were approaching him.

Lily came over then, and he bit his tongue to refrain from telling her he was sorry. He wasn't, and she should not think that he was. He no longer liked her. He was letting her go. Giving up. She doesn't want your kindness, James, remember?

"Hi, girls," she grinned, looking down at them. "How about I teach you what you need to know. Potter still needs to learn a bit himself."

James shook his head. "Remus told me everything, Evans. But how about you take two and I take two? It'll make it a bit easier in case they have any questions," he said with a short nod. "I'll take these two," he pointed to a blond and brunette, "over there and talk, you take the others."

He walked them over to a table, smiling easily. "Who are you?"

"I'm Lauren George. I'm Alexis' cousin." James nodded at the blonde. He noticed that she had looked somewhat familiar. That must be why. He had met her at the beginning of last year, but very briefly, and she had grown-up quite a bit.

"And you?" he asked, turning towards the other girl.

"I'm H-heather Johnson," she said weakly. She had a small stutter, one that James was surprised he noticed.

"You're Gryffindor," he pointed at Lauren, and turned to Heather after she nodded, "and Ravenclaw, correct?" Heather also nodded.

"Very good," he grinned, making each girl smile back shyly.

Lily stared from across the room. He hadn't looked over at her once, and he had brushed her off easily. Too easily. Had she really done that much damage over the years? Enough to break him to a point where he wouldn't even look at her kindly?

Did you ever take him looking at you kindly into bad matters?

Well, there was that time last year where she had aimed an aguamenti charm at his eye… Did that count?

Merlin, Lily, why do you even care? She scolded herself. He's leaving you alone, right?

He was. And that was the problem. But she couldn't worry about that now, could she?

She turned to the girls and smiled.

Mehhh. Don't like this much.

But, I'll live.

And so will you.

... That is, if you review.

If you don't, then, your chances on living aren't so high up.

You like life, no?

If you do, click it.

Now.

I'm sirius.

Do it right, do it right now.

RIGHT NOW.