Chapter 3
"Oh boo hoo, Prongs! She doesn't want you, she digs Remus!" Sirius joked, pulling his jumper over his head.
James frowned, having trouble buttoning his trousers. "She's joking, right? Tell me she was joking. Remus, if she asked you out, you'd say no? For me? Even if she looked hot when she did, you'd say no, wouldn't you?" He panicked a bit, which just made the other lads laugh at him.
"Yes, James, I'd say no. She's uh, not even my type." Remus stuttered, making Sirius flare up.
"She so is! You fancy Evans! You're both nerds, you both read all the time; you'd both rather study than party. Face it! James, you've got yourself a bit of competition." He punched Rem on the arm.
Muttering under his breath and swearing at his buckle on his trousers, he looked up at the Marauders. Peter was sat with his legs spread out on the seat finished, and Remus and Sirius continued to argue whether Rem really did like Lily. Does she really like him? James asked himself. Why? I mean, Lupin's an awesome guy, but he's so boring compared to me! Does she like that? Boring? Maybe I should start being boring...
James snapped out of it when Sirius shook him. "Hullo? Anyone home?" He grinned.
"Uh, yeah, I'm here." Potter smirked back. He looked over Siri's shoulder, spotting Remus and Peter chatting away, both looking as if they wanted to prove a point. "What're they talking about?"
Padfoot arched an eyebrow, and followed James' gaze. "Oh, Peter took over my argument whilst I tried bringing you back down to earth. And Remus is now saying Peter fancies some Hufflepuff, it's hilarious."
Snorting, James leant against Sirius. "I bet. Sirius, we need to get Pete a girlfriend."
"Is that all you ever talk about?" Lily chuckled as she strode in, and stood by James' side. Remus turned a violent red, making James remember why he would, and he too felt flushed. Sirius laughed loudly, muttering 'Oh Merlin!' between fits. "What's so funny?" Lily began to pat down her hair and skirt, and wiped her mouth. "Have I got something on me?"
James shook his head quickly and told her "Nope, you look great." And regretting it the moment it left his lips when Pads barked another laugh. "Alright, shut up. I get it."
Lily pouted. "I don't. What's going on? I want to know."
"I want, never gets, my dear." Sirius said, winking at her. He pulled at her arm, making her sit.
James sat next to her, and subconsciously kept glaring in Lupin's direction who was sat opposite and had returned to his book. He felt the urge to say something witty, but he bit his tongue. Plain and boring, plain and boring... he repeated over and over in his head.
He looked down at Lily and smiled. Smiling back, she twiddled her thumbs. "So..."
Remus coughed, probably to break the tension, but James couldn't be sure.
"So, Lily, what're you taking for your N.e.w.t's again?" James asked. He already knew, but that was the best he could think of that was nerdy.
"Charms, Transfiguration, Potions and Herbology. You know that though, you're in most of my classes when you can't be bothered to bunk." She sighed, and started to fiddle with a lock of hair. From the other side of the booth, James heard the others fight back a laugh at him.
He opened his mouth to say something that would've probably made things worse, but he was saved by the train coming to a halt. James jumped up, maybe a little too quickly; it made him look eager to leave. Rem picked up on this, giving James a 'Careful-you'll-scare-her-off' look. He stayed silent though as he followed James, Lily, Sirius and Peter off the train.
The students crowded around the platform, and James skilfully dodged the small first years and chatting Ravenclaws, whilst glancing over his shoulder to make sure Lily hadn't abandoned them and gone crawling back to the slime ball Severus Snape. In the back of his head, he knew that she'd still be there – which she was – because of how Snivellus had treated Lily. He's called her a... a... the M word, even after she tried to help him! James scrunched his fists into balls. It made him angry that he'd done that to her; but he couldn't help but feel some kind of happiness towards this: she didn't talk to him anymore, which meant a bigger chance of winning over Lily. It sounds pathetic, James thought to himself, but it's working so far...
"Hey, watch where you're going, Potter! And whilst you're at it, quit harassing and kidnapping Lily." Isabella Salm, a blond, quirky Hufflepuff tapped her foot impatiently.
She pushed past James and grabbed Lily's arm, yanking her forward. "Hey Izzie." Lily grinned, ignoring James' protest. "How was summer?" The two slipped through a gap in the crowd, and he watched as the red haired girl disappeared.
He heard a sigh from behind him, and a hand clamp on his shoulder. "C'mon, mate. You'll see Evans later." Sirius mumbled, and directed him to carriage. Remus and Peter were waiting inside when the other two arrived.
"That's really good, Moony. When do they think it'll be finished?" Peter smiled kindly.
James and Sirius looked at each other. "Get what finished, Pete?" Sirius asked first.
Opening his mouth to speak, Peter was cut off by Remus. "A potion to help make the transformation easier, apparently. They're wanting people to test it on; 25 Galleons a day. I'd do it, but it interferes with school." He shrugged it off.
"That's great!" Sirius beamed, and Pete and James nodded in agreement.
The carriage jolted as it went into a pot hole in the dirt track, knocking the boys' shoulders into one another's.
"Yup," Lupin hesitated, "but they're not having much luck; the best they've got so far is keeping someone's eyes open so they can see what's going on. Researchers are saying it could take up to 3 years to get it right. Even then, it might be dangerous."
All of the Marauders frowned, each of them hoping it'd take less than 3 years.
Everything jumped to a stop, making Remus and Peter bang into each other, and Sirius' head shake. James frowned deeper. "They've really got to fix these enchantments to stop suddenly stopping like that. Someone's going to get whiplash..."
Sirius mumbled "Too late" as the door flung open on its own accord. One by one, the Marauders clambered out, leaving James until last. His eyes began to adjust to the dark grounds as he attempted to keep up with the others, who were already heading for the bottom of the castle's steps. No one was saying anything; which was strange, but he knew it was unnecessary to break the silence.
Waiting at the top, was a scruffy looking cat, eyeing up all the students as they entered the Great Hall.
"Hey Moony," Sirius stage whispered, "Next time you change, can we please hunt down that cat?"
Lupin rolled his eyes. "I am not eating Mrs Norris." The cat turned its head eerily towards the boys at the mention of its name.
Nodding, James added: "Yeah, you don't know where its been." and Peter chuckled.
Once they had passed 'the devil in disguise', as Sirius had once called her, the four began to make their way to the Gryffindor table. Empty goblets and platters covered the ancient tables; the ceiling occupied millions of floating candles at it did every year. Tapestries hung low over their heads, supported by nothing. The purple silk moved gently as if there was a current of wind, making the gold 'H' shimmer. An excited buzz hung around the air from the students. It was good to be back, James thought as he took his place next to Sirius.
He gave up trying to take in the magnificence of the hall in one go and looked directly in front of him to see Lily Evans staring at him. Slowly, a grin rose on his face. "We meet again, Lily."
She cocked her head to the side and grinned, making her look extremely mischievous. "Well, Potter, we do both go to the same school, and we are both in Gryffindor, and we are Head Boy and Girl." She arched an eyebrow at him. "So I guess it was only going to be sooner or later before we saw each other again." With a nod, she broke off their eye contact and focussed on the front.
The Great Hall's doors creaked open, and then millions of midgets began to giggle and brush past the tables, heading for the front. Professor McGonagall reached the steps first, and placed the Sorting hat onto the three legged stool. "When I call your name..." Sirius mimicked her next part, pulling an annoyed face "Come forward and sit down on the stool, where you will be sorted into your house." James rolled his eyes at Sirius. "What? It's always the same..." He shrugged.
"Abbott, John." A small, timid boy crept up to the stool, and McGonagall barely touched the hat to his head before it screamed "SLYTHERIN!" causing the Slytherin table to roar in glee. James sat there bored as the hat continued to yell "Hufflepuff!" or "Ravenclaw!" and clapped whenever a new Gryffindor joined their table. The last name called out was another Gryffindor, and he clapped once more. McGonagall picked up the stool and hat, and made her way back to the staff table. The Headmaster then walked to the front to face the crowd.
Dumbledore stood at his podium; the candles flickering softly illuminated his face. Professor McGonagall tapped her fork lightly on her glass, calling for silence. "Thank you, Minerva." The headmaster inclined his head to her, and then turned his attention to his students. "Good evening, how wonderful it is to see new and familiar faces! I shall keep this short; as I am sure you are all just as eager to eat as I am." He smiled warmly, and continued. "This year, we welcome a new teacher, Professor Sinistra, who will be teaching Astrology." The hall rippled applause, and an unfamiliar face at the staff table nodded. "Second, I would like to remind students taking their O. and N.e. this year to study hard, and concentrate on their studies. Thirdly, and the most important note." He paused, meeting everyone's eyes to grab their full attention. "Recently, a war has flourished in the wizarding world. Although it shows no threat to our school, I head this warning: If anything seems out of the extra-ordinary, contact me immediately. Furthermore, we may begin!" He lifted his arms, and the goblets and plates piled with food, achieving a gasp from the first years.