AN: Chapter 5, everyone! Just before you begin, please take a moment to consider the people who were affected by the Boston Bombings. These terrorist events happen almost on a daily basis all around the world. Isn't it time that we stopped hating on each other purely based on religion, race and culture?

Events like these make me wonder just how much worth there is in learning History if we continue to make the same mistakes again and again! Anyway, on with the story!

…

"Ah Madam! How lovely to see you again," a blonde haired man with a slightly chubby stature said, supporting a huge grin. Lily and Marlene exchanged looks. It appeared that everyone from guests to the maids referred to her as Madam.

"Yes, lovely to see you again, Mr. Pettigrew." Madam said briskly, as if it was another chore she had to do.

"Aren't you glad to see me too?" Sirius asked smiling at the older woman.

Madam Danvers simply shook her head as all three of the men rolled their eyes at Sirius.

"Honestly Padfoot, you've probably caused Madam to have more grey hairs than all three of us put together!" James joked.

"Yet, she can't help putting up with you. Isn't that so, Madam Danvers," a new, gentle voice spoke.

Madam Danvers smiled a real, genuine smile in the boy's direction. "It is so. Glad that you could join us today, Mr. Lupin,"

From just outside Lily gave an audible gasp, which not only Marlene, but the five in the room heard as well, as everyone turned to the girls in the doorway.

James smiled brightly as he got up and walked towards the girls.

Madam gently pushed the girls forwards so that they both began walking.

"Food! Brilliant. Talking always makes me hungry." Sirius said happily as Marlene turned nervously towards him, but as usual as Sirius winked at her and accepted the dish, Marlene felt instantly at ease. There was just something adorable about Sirius Black.

As Lily approached James, and met him half way, she purposely kept her eyes down, unsure of how Remus Lupin would react to seeing her. Marlene had already given a dish to the blonde haired man, and so Lily had no choice, but to approach the remaining man.

Remus looked up at the emerald green eyes. "Thank you, Lily," he said softly, recognition colouring the features of his face. She looked up at him and a slow, genuine smile crept across the girl's face. "You're welcome, Remus," The two continued with their staring competition. Each hurtling down memory lane. A loud cough from James interrupted them and suddenly, Lily straightened up and moved beside Marlene, who had previously not been seen by Remus. A surprised but delighted smile lit up once again on Remus' face. "Miss Sharples, what are the odds!"?

"It seems we are destined to meet again, Mr Lupin," Marlene replied. The three other men, stood rather confused and a little out of the loop.

"I take it you are already acquainted with our PMs?" Sirius asked nonchalantly, as if the answer meant nothing to him. "What are PMs," Peter whispered to James. James rolled his eyes, "Wormy, honestly how did you pass your N.E.W.T.S? It stands for Personal Maid." Remus was nodding his head in answer to Sirius' question, "at Hogwarts, both were two years our junior," The reaction was instantaneous. "At Hogwarts?" James asked in a disbelieving tone, whilst Sirius gave a low whistle. "Not our average girls, are we," he said, appreciatively. Beauty and brains. Who would have thought we'd get that lucky, eh, Prongs? "

"Excuse me?" Lily spluttered.

"Yes, darling?" Sirius asked, turning round to face her. "Did I say something upsetting?"

"Padfoot…" Remus warned, well acquainted with the girl's fiery nature.

Sirius grinned at Remus, "Moony, old pal, you could have told the three of us you were seeing some hot chicks, we could have joined in the fun!" He looked at the blushing Marlene and gave her a wink who went even redder than before.

"You...you absolute…pig. You think we are all some cattle all fed and ready to be snatched up by the likes of you?" Lily asked angrily, completely disregarding the warnings from both James and Marlene to not further egg Sirius on.

"I think you're mistaken, sweetheart, I don't need to snatch anyone from anywhere. I just prefer to." Remus groaned loudly and James hit his head against his palm. Lily was literally seeing stars and playing into Sirius' little game quite brilliantly. "If you will excuse me, I have work to be getting on with rather than spending my time chin-wagging with ignorant fools," she gritted out. Marlene might have gasped and the blonde haired man glared at her a little, but Lily didn't care. It was sick and arrogant purebloods like Sirius, she thought, who made the lives of Muggleborns like her, absolutely miserable. And then she promptly left. Marlene was left standing there, staring between her master and the space where her friend used to be. "Well I should also, uh, be leaving. Enjoy your meal." James nodded and Sirius gave her his characteristic wink, which instantly melted her heart. "It was good to see you Marlene," Remus said quietly, warmly smiling at her. She inclined her head and replied, "Likewise, Remus. You look…well." The other three once again felt as if they were intruding into some private session between two very close friends, but then Marlene slipped out and the four friends were once more on their own.

…

As the girls left, James turned to Sirius.

"I told you before Padfoot, don't be a jerk."

Sirius shrugged. "She might be a servant-girl but she can hold her own ground. I might have to actually agree with your choice after all, James. She gives just as good as she gets. I can see that we will get along just fine." Sirius finished.

Remus snorted.

"Padfoot, no one can be more cutting, callous and indifferent to people's feelings, than you."

"Cheers Moony! I'll take that as a compliment," the man said brightly. Remus smiled in his direction as he leaned back.

"Only you would take being called mean, as a compliment. Can't you just be normal with her? Why do you try and infuriate her if you don't really mean it?" James commented drily.

"If you're too sweet, the world would swallow you..." Sirius said lazily.

"And if you're to bitter, the world will spit you out," Remus added casually, watching Sirius. Sirius glanced at Remus' relaxed form and offered the man an imaginary hat. Remus just shook his head.

"Wiser words haven't been spoken, my friend, but I'd rather be perceived as bitter than sweet. At least if I'm spat out, I'd still be alive."

"Point," Peter said agreeably.

"Wormtail, do you ever say anything more intelligent than 'point?'" James asked teasingly.

Remus and Sirius laughed as Peter glowered at them all.

"Oh go eat pixie dung!" Peter said half-heartedly as his own lips twitched at his friends' raucous laughter.

…

Lily and Marlene found themselves getting accustomed to the chaotic and often random routine of the house very quickly. It seemed that being a servant in the Potter household was like being part of the whole community of the house. The few times that Lily had seen the senior Potters; even they had been polite and gracious to her presence. Though it had been ingrained in her head for a very long time, she didn't feel like a lesser human than anyone else. The best part was, she even got in some practise with her wand. Well, Marlene's wand. Not for the first time did she wish she could buy herself a wand. But money was only given to the top most staff and she, Lily, was simply too low down on the food chain. Nevertheless, Lily, not one to be disheartened, used Marlene's wand as if it were hers. She often did this in her room…picking up spells that she heard around the house as she flitted in and out of rooms. Once she tried 'episkey' and Marlene had been sitting opposite her, when suddenly they both heard a strange crunch. On later inspection, both girls had decided that Marlene's nose was a lot straighter than before. She wondered why Senior Mr Potter would have been using that spell. Being James' personal servant, she found that she had far more duties than the average servant of the house. For example the kitchen maids only had duties during the meal times. The washing up maids only had morning and evening duties. The cleaners and the watchman and the guards also worked in rotation.

For Lily, her day began when Sirius or James knocked on their door to tell them they were up. And it ended whenever James thought fit to dismiss her for the day. But strangely, she found it comforting to have to report and work for only one person. It was as if she was a special person in his life. Marlene was a completely different story. She looked up to Sirius as if he were her saviour and hung on to every word…no…order that he issued. Sirius and Marlene's communication was far more evident that hers and James, nevertheless she still felt a special connection to him.

…

A girl dressed in a white dress was running. Her small legs carried her far into the distance. The air and wind of the Cornish land, making her blonde waves of hair flutter around her head.

To the boy watching her, getting smaller and smaller, it was looked like a halo, making her angelic in appearance.

"Wait! Don't go too far!" the boy yelled suddenly, panicked, for he could no longer see the girl.

She popped up from near him again and her wide brown eyes were liquid chocolate.

"James, you're not playing properly. You're supposed to follow me when I start running! Don't you know anything about 'tag you're it?'" the girl asked earnestly.

The boy ruffled his hair awkwardly.

"Okay, let's try again."

The girl started running away once more and this time the boy followed...and followed...and followed. But the hill never came to an end and the more he ran the further he seemed to be from the girl until two hooded figures descended upon the cool Cornish land.

"We know where she is." one of them muttered.

"Don't try and hide her, boy," the other added menacingly.

Scared, the boy started to move away.

Running,

Tripping,

Falling,

But getting as far as possible from the hooded figures.

And in the distance he could hear their cold, cruel voice.

James woke up. Sweating. Again.

"Bad dream?" a voice asked. James groaned as he got out of bed to retrieve his glass of water.

"Padfoot, it's the middle of the night."

"Well it wasn't when I first arrived but you looked so cute and adorable while you slept that I couldn't bear to wake you up!" Sirius said extravagantly and with jest.

James rolled his eyes. "Should have woken me up, I'd rather see your ugly face than keep dreaming about that day." James muttered darkly.

Sirius smiled tightly, but didn't comment.

"Who is she?" Sirius asked but James just turned away.

"Come on James. Who is she?"

"No one. She isn't anyone. She doesn't exist. It was just a dream, Sirius!" he had a glint in his eye and Sirius refrained from asking for an elaboration. It was not the first time James had had this dream, and it certainly wasn't the first time he had woken up to find Sirius waiting there, patiently for his friend to wake up.

"Well mate, looks like you could do with a stronger drink than the one in your hand. I'll get us some real stuff." Sirius announced, smiling broadly. James nodded his head as a smile crept on his face. It was times like these that James really valued their friendship. Sirius knew when to persist but he also knew when to drop it. James appreciated that Sirius understood his need to not discuss the dream.

"Don't get anything too strong. I have to go into the ministry tomorrow." James' voice floated through the door. Sirius only gave a wiggle of his eyebrows as he entered the hallway just outside James' room.

He passed his own room as he descended the stairs and started his way to the main kitchens. The floor above also had a kitchen, but the elves were always there, after all it was their floor. Their living quarters were on that floor and Sirius wasn't really in the mood to put up with irritating house-elves. The one in Grimmauld Place, the house he inherited after his parents' untimely death, was bad enough.

It was as he was leaving the kitchens, with the goblets and pitcher of fire whiskey in his hands, that he noticed the girl. Her fiery red hair gave away her identity quite easily in the dimly lit hallway. She wouldn't make a good spy, he thought idly. She'd be too easily recognized.

He sped up a bit so that he was only a few meters behind her.

"Wandering the hallways, are we?" he spoke, clearing his throat.

Lily gave a start as she turned slowly on her spot. Her eyes were blinking rapidly as Sirius raised his eyebrows in amusement.

"I wasn't wandering," she replied, hotly.

"I would say you were," Sirius said stepping up to stare down at her. Lily took an involuntary step back. "Well I would say that you are disillusioned," she snapped.

"And you are very illusioned are you?" Sirius asked a smirk playing on his lips. Lily snorted. "That's not even a word."

"That's neither here nor there," Sirius replied immediately.

" I was only getting water from the kitchens."

"Do you often get up in the night to do that?" Sirius asked as he kept pace with the girl.

"There wasn't any left in the jug," lily said irritably. Sirius' smirk just became more pronounced.

"What is your secret, miss Evans?" Sirius asked softly, looking intently at the girl. Lily stopped once more and looked up in shock at Sirius.

"There isn't one," she whispered defensively. Gone was Sirius' smirk and a grim calculating look paved the way onto his face. Lily just had to look away from those grey eyes.

"Indeed," he said just as quietly.

Lily made to step away, "it's none of your business anyway," lily said without care.

Instantly Sirius arm shot out and held onto Lily's wrist, tightly. She looked at him with a knot of fear in her stomach and mentally kicked herself. But Sirius was calm. In fact he didn't look angered at all.

"I would be careful, miss Evans. Not all of us are as tolerant as others," he said with measured calmness.

"I'm not as naive as you think, sir." lily said, holding her own ground.

"I didn't for a second believe you were naive. But it'll do well to remember that the truth always comes out." Sirius said, watching her shrewdly.

Lily's voice came out rather harsh and full of contempt. "If you are trying to frighten me, it won't work. I've seen far more frightening men than yourself."

Sirius' eyes narrowed dangerously and his grip tightened. Lily winced in pain but didn't attempt to shake him off.

"You accuse me of underestimating you, yet you are guilty of the same crime," Sirius spoke.

"Are you implying that I should be scared of you?" lily asked in a scoffing voice. He looked at her curiously, then.

"Every one is dangerous. Be wary of all, trust no one."

"Isn't that a bit cynical?" lily asked, as he finally let go of her wrist.

"Are you living in the same world as me?" Sirius laughed sarcastically.

"What do you know about sufferings and despair?" lily asked bitterly.

Sirius' eyes slid to her again. "I do wonder what secret you're harbouring,"

"It's not for you to know," she whispered, almost fearfully.

Sirius' eyes gleamed. "Then hide it well," he replied as they reached the staircase to go upstairs.

"Are you threatening me?" she asked, defensive once more.

"It's a warning, miss Evans. I'll wait for the day when you tell me yourself."

Lily relaxed. "You said to not trust anyone," she pointed out.

"There are exceptions to every rule," he replied with a smile. "Goodnight miss Evans," and he ascended the stairs.

Lily looked at his muscular form going up the stairs and then turned to make her way back to her own room.

…

"Mate, do you talk to your girl much?" Sirius asked, casually as he chucked a goblet towards James. He caught it and frowned at his friend. "What's there to talk about? She's my personal maid, I'm her employer. She hates being here and I hate this entire concept." Sirius rolled his eyes. "I don't think she hates is. She's always bloody smiling and chirpy!" Sirius said, but James just grunted in response, barely acknowledging the statement. "I saw her just now." Sirius continued.

"You better keep an eye on her, there is a lot more to that girl than the eye can see." James just scoffed at him. "And prey tell, how did you come to this one mighty conclusion?" Sirius looked up sharply at James, slightly annoyed that he wasn't taking this seriously. "James," Sirius said and James raised his eyebrows. In private, hearing 'James' instead of Prongs was a rare occurrence. "You got her home, and she needs looking after, she's just a girl and one that has clearly seen too much in her life. Get to know her a little, you might find that she is in fact to your liking," James nodded his head slowly, drinking in both Sirius' words and the whiskey. The two friends didn't know it then, but Sirius' words would later become the saving grace for them all. For now, however, both men sipped on their drinks quietly, each contemplating the new scenario that they found themselves in.

…

AN: Wow, so what do you think of Sirius' evaluation of Lily? Do you think Lily is hiding a secret? And if so what secret is she hiding? How did you like the first glimpse of the Marauders? And finally, James' dream…what's that all about?

As always, if you're reading this, please review and let me know of your thoughts and opinions. They are valued very much.

Till next time

-Vitzy-