Chapter 3, at your service. This is all being edited, as I read it over and found it grossly lacking substance.

If I was J.K. Rowling….well, I would be writing for a real publisher right now, wouldn't I?

"Ahhh!" Sirius sighed, relishing a bar of Honeydukes chocolate. "I owe you, Prongs, my mate! How much you got left?"

"Well, between the four of us (meaning you, Padfoot) I'm wiped out. You aren't still hungry are you?"

"Out?" Sirius looked shocked. "I'll go get some more."

"Padfoot, you eat like a pig!" Remus laughed.

"No, I eat like a dog!" Sirius said with a wink, and then barked with laughter. He grabbed a pouch of coins and raced out of the compartment.

He whistled as he walked toward the food trolley. He wasn't looking where he was going and was surprised when he ran into something very solid, and proceeded to fall on top of it. Or, more precisely, her.

"Merlin! Get off me you big oaf!" Marlene McKinnon screeched. "You way a ton, Black."

"Ahhh. you hurt me, McKinnon," he said with his trademark smile. He obliged her, and helped Marlene to her feet. As she dusted herself off, Sirius took the opportunity to look her over. She wasn't bad. She had hazel eyes, with bright specks of blue, green, and caramel. Her hair was a chestnut brown, and long, thick, and curly. Just right to get you hands tangled in. And, to top it off, she had a killer figure. He had broken up with Angela Darton, his summer fling, just a week before (pretty, but way to clingy), so he was free. McKinnon was definitely potential Hogsmeade material.

"Hey, McKinnon," he began casually, "you heard of Madame Puddifoot's?"

"Can't say I have," she replied, in the same tone, looking up.

"Nice, cozy, romantic spot. Girls seem to like it-especially for dates. Like to check out?"

"Sounds nice," she said with a smile. "I think I should."

"Saturday? I'll meet you at two, in the Common Room." He grinned rackishly.

Marlene laughed. "You're getting ahead of yourself, Black. I said I'd like see it. I never said with you."

"But you will, right?" he said, still full of confidence.

"No, but thanks for the recommendation. See you."

Then she left Sirius, mouth gaping stupidly, still trying to comprehend what had just happened.

"There it is!"

"Where?"

"Right there!"

"I can't see!"

"Move over!"

"Right back behind those trees!"

Lily smiled at the first years staring in awe out the train window. Hogwarts wasn't really visible yet, but they were all certain they saw it. She remembered when she'd done the same thing. She looked out herself. They would be in Hogsmeade soon.

Suddenly, the train jerked to a halt. They weren't at the station yet, or even in the village. Lily looked around, trying to figure out what was going on. The rumors started a few minutes later, and a new kind of whisper traveled down the long train.

"An attack! In Hogsmeade!"

"Eighty people, dead…"

"You-Know-Who…"

Lily felt the blood drain from her face. Eighty witches and wizards? All dead? She'd never heard of such a thing happening in her lifetime.

According to the word, Voldemort himself had been there. Lily didn't know if this was true, but it sent chills up her spine all the same. Why? Why would he personally attack the village? They were all magic folk. Beside, he usually sent his followers, the Death Eaters, to do his work. What, in Merlin's name, was going on?

"Do you think it's true, Prongs?" Sirius asked, his eyes wide and without any humor.

"I don't know. But if it is…"

"I had relatives there," Remus said, so quietly he was barely heard.

"Who?" Sirius asked.

"My aunt's family. On my mum's side. I used to go there, every summer. My cousin…" Remus choked out. "What if they're dead?"

Nobody said anything.

James got up. He needed to check on Lily. She was probably okay, but just in case…

He left the compartment and started looking. After a few minutes, he saw the flash of red hair he was looking for, and headed toward it.

Lily was staring out the window. She heard him and looked up. She blushed furiously and looked away. "James, he-"

"He." He repeated the word like it could just stand alone. He looked away. "Look Lily, about earlier-"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have read it. I was just so mad, I wasn't even thinking. But I shouldn't have prejudged you, anyway." She looked ashamed, and her eyes were shining as if she were holding back tears.

"You couldn't have known. I shouldn't have blown up at you." He smiled and held out his hand. "Friends?"

She smiled back, and put her small hand in his large one. "Friends."

James grinned like he'd won the World Cup. Sure, it wasn't all he was hoping for, but it was something.

"So…did you have any family there?" Lily asked, letting go of his hand, and staring outside again.

"Nah. But Remus did. His aunt's family. He's afraid their dead." His eyes fell to his feet.

"It must be awful." She looked at James. "Not knowing. It's worse than getting the letter." She was silent. Then she put on a resigned face, as if determined to do something that she wasn't sure she should do. "James, why are you here?"

"I-I wanted to check on you."

She blushed. "No, why are you here? On the train? Why didn't you stay home after you got the letter yesterday?"

"Why would I? My dad wouldn't want me to. He would've wanted me to go to school, just like we'd planned. He always wanted me to be an Auror, like him."

"Is that what you want? To be an Auror, I mean," Lily asked.

James thought a minute. "Yeah," he said finally. "For a long time, I didn't want to, just because I didn't want to feel like a puppet. But if he hadn't always told me what he wanted, I know an Auror would be my first choice. To fight against the bad in this world. What about you? What are you planning after Hogwarts?"

"I either want to be an Auror or to teach at Hogwarts, as the Charms professor." She turned to him. "James, why-"

"Lily!" Katie ran up to them, breathless, and looking oddly at James and Lily. "The carriages are picking us up here. They're outside. We've already gotten your stuff. Come on then!"

Lily looked apologetically at James before following her friend. James went back to his compartment in a daze, got his stuff, and left the train in considerably happier spirits then when he had boarded it.

"You what?"

Both of Lily's friends looked like the sky had fallen.

"Well, he's been really nice, and his dad just died-"

"Wasn't he the Head Auror, though?" Katy asked, going pale. Lily nodded. "Oh Merlin, what chance have the rest of us got then?"

"Vold-" Lily started, but her friends cringed, so she corrected herself. "You-Know-Who, doesn't go after everyone. Mr. Potter was in a dangerous position. The Death Eaters were bound to see him as a threat."

"But what about the Hogsmeade attack? And, besides, you and Lily are Muggleborns, and I'm from on infamous blood-traitor family. They've been after us from the start," Marlene pointed out.

"We're safe at Hogwarts. We'll be fine. But poor James! What he must be going through."

"What, in Merlin's name, is he doing here, anyway?" Marlene asked angrily. "If he had a heart, he'd be at home, mourning and comforting his poor mother."

"James said his dad would rather he go to school then mope around and throw his life away. He always wanted James to be an Auror." Lily looked out her window. When she looked back at her friends, they were looking knowingly at each other. "What?"

"Nothing, Lils. Nothing."

This one has very little change. Mostly grammatical fix-ups and a few extra words here and there.

I would like to point out, however, a very big change: the names of Lily's best friends. I saw fit to place Marlene McKinnon in, as she was a crucial member of the Order of the Phoenix, according to books 4 and 5. And then I could very well keep a McKinley next to the McKinnon, could I? Therefore, Katie's name has been changed to Katie Doyle.

Thanks for reading (and reviewing, hinthint!). Helpful criticism is always welcome, as it can only make me a better writer.