Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter 6

A couple of months later, the pupils of Hogwarts were going back to their school and the Marauders were about to begin their 7th and final year of schooling.

As they sat on the Hogwarts Express, James and Sirius were watching over their female companion very closely to make sure that she was alright. She seemed alright, but they could tell she wasn't her usual chatty self and knew why. The events had made her a little more withdrawn but Sirius and James had been supportive all summer and had tried to make sure she was happy.

Towards the beginning of the train journey, Lena and Sirius and ended up telling their story to Peter and Remus since it was better the all four of the marauders.

Peter seemed not to know what to say or do now and had stopped saying much to Lena in fear of upsetting her.

Remus was sending her supportive glances eery so often.

James and Sirius were both being even more protective than usual.

Tired of feeling like an outcast, Lena brought up a new topic of conversation,

' So has anyone been thinking more about their career, what with this being the last year before we actually have to go and do it? ' she asked.

' I'm going to be an auror, ' James replied promptly.

' And me, ' Sirius agreed.

' I don't know, ' Peter replied, ' maybe I'll just work in Hogsmede or Diagon Alley or something, ' he shrugged.

' I think I'd like to be a teacher, ' Remus said, ' although I don't see how I could with my condition. '

' There'd be a way around that, I'm sure, ' Lena told him.

' What about your job? ' Peter piped up, much to the suprise of the others, who had not expected him to join in the conversation properly as he never usually did.

' I'm wanting to go into divination, remember? '

' Divination is a load of rubbish, ' Sirius scoffed.

' Maybe the way Vablatsky teaches it, but I don't mean like that. I'm going to go for tarot cards and palm reading and that sort of stuff. '

' As if you can make a living out of that, ' Sirius laughed.

' I could! Some people would pay good money for those sort of services. I bet I could make a decent living out of it. Rent a place in Diagon Alley or something, see how it goes and after a while if it's all going well, I'll move into a bigger shop, hire other people to work for me and make my own business out of it. '

' Sounds like you've got it all planned out,' Remus remarked, ' and good on you for thinking about it. '

' I just can't believe you've actually taken Divination because you're interested in it, ' Sirius commented.

' Well, why did the rest of you take it? ' she asked, looking around at Remus, Sirius and James who had all also taken the subject.

' Because it was that or astronomy, ' Sirius replied as if it were obvious. James nodded along, and even Remus did too.

--

After the feast everyone went to the common room where Sirius and James had insisted on throwing a party.

Lena sat down on the window seat on the common room and looking around at her peers: James was standing on the coffee table cracking jokes to the surrounding gaggle of girls, Sirius was sat on the sofa listening to one of the ohter girls talking non stop, although he looked as if he were more interested in her chest. Remus was curled up in a chair, reading a book and Peter was looking up at James adoringly. Lena was somethimes sure that Peter had a gay thing for James, but it was probably best that she didn't tell James about it.

' Selena! ' someone cried out before two people came rushing across the common room to see her.

' Molly! ' Lena grinned hugging a curvy redhead and turning her attention to a slightly chubby cheeked blonde,' Alice! '

' It's so good to see you again! ' Alice cried, ' It was torture all summer. '

' I thought you went on holiday to the sunny carribean? ' Lena asked in miled confusion, ' how was that torture? '

' Just me and my parents, who were nagging on at me all holiday that I should go and find some nice young man to talk to. I don't want to. '

' You mean because you already have your sights set on Frank? '

' I do not,' Alice replied indignantly.

' Oh please, who are you kidding? ' Lena laughed, ' you're going to do that thing where you say that you don't like him for ages and ages and then eventually get together with his and then get suprised when the rest of us say we saw it coming, aren't you? It was the same in 5th year with Molly and Arthur, remember? '

' I was not,' Molly replied wih a blush.

Lena rolled her eyes, ' It was so obvious that the pair of you were going to get together. '

' What about you, anyway? ' Alice asked, ' who do you have your eye on? '

Lena shrugged, ' I'm not really thinking about getting together with anyone really, ' she replied thoughtfully.

' Well you sure do spend an awful lot of time with your brother's friends - who all happened to be mae, what about one of them? '

Lena laughed nervously, ' No, they're all just my friends. Do you honestly see me with weak little Peter, or super smart and way too quiet Remus, or..um..quidditch obsessed, egotistical James? '

' Well... ' Molly replied only to be cut off by James, who had somehow managed to escape the crowds.

' Someone say my name? ' he asked looking around at the three witches.

' Selena was just telling us what she thinks of you. ' Alice replied mischeviously, as a grin crept across her face.

James ruffled his unruly black hair,' Really? and what might that be? '

' That you're egotistical. ' Mollly answered promptly.

' Molly! ' Lena hissed.

James spared a frown for his closest female friend, ' Well, thanks for that Len. ' and bean to walk away. '

Lena glared at Molly and Alice, ' Now look what you did! ' she hissed before she stood up quickly and hurried after James.

' James, ' she whined grabbing hold of his sleeve and forcing him to turn around and face her, ' James I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, really I didn't '

' Then why say it? ' he snapped.

' Because..I...they were annoying me, ' she spluttered, ' they were saying stuff about how I would end up getting together with one of the marauders so I was pointing out a few flaws to prove them wrong. '

' So you decide to announce to them that you thnk I care too much about myself? '

' No! I..well..the thing is, I found flaws easily for Peter and Remus - too weak and weedy, too quiet for my liking, but I couldn't think of anything for you, and I had to say something because they were staring at me so I just said that and it was totally just a random word that I chose and it didn't mean anything - honestly. '

James' face suddenly grew in to a rather large grin.

Lena gasped and slapped him on the arm, ' You were having me on! ' she cried.

James' trademark boyish grin was present on his face, as it often was, ' I'm sorry Lena but you're so funny when you get all worked up like that. But it was a nice little speech you had there. ' he added as an afterthought, ' Did you mean it? '

' Um..mean what?' Lena asked slightly confused.

' When you said that you couldn't pick out a fault with me? '

' Yeah..I guess so. I mean, I know that everyone has some faults and all that, but yours don't bother me because we're friends and friends are supposed to be able to see past all that. '

James continued to grin foolishly as he opened his arms and took a step forwards,' Come on now, I think that deserves a hug, ' he told her.

Lena shrugged and let him wrap his arms around her carefully and gently.

As he held her in his embrace, she rested her head on his chest and thought about how easy it felt.