On the way to the train station all Lily could do was replay in her mind the scene at the Evans home between her and Petunia. She knew she had a right to say what she did, and it felt good, but at the same time, it hurt her to cut herself away from her own sister. After all the years of trying to patch something that was never hers to patch, she had had enough, but she still didn't want to lose her sister. Lily felt so low, and so alone. She could have curled up in a ball and disappeared. The ride to the station was too short to continue with her morbid thoughts, so Lily dragged herself away from the car, and out into the bright and colorful world that she did not want to be a part of right now. Her mother came around the car to her as her father pulled her trunk out of the back of the car. He sat the trunk on a trolley and rolled it over to her. Together, for the last time, they walked to the platform.

Mrs. Evans had tears in her eyes as she hugged her daughter tightly, kissing her head and holding her cheeks. Mr. Evans wrapped his arms around his daughter and told her to visit every once in a while and to write them often. She, of course, said she would; she stepped backwards, looking at them through bleary eyes. Instead of turning to face the wall, she continued at it backward, watching her parents and then disappearing behind the stone.

If she thought the muggle world was too colorful and happy, the wizarding world she just walked into made her feel even more melancholy. She gathered herself, wiping her eyes on her sleeves and turned to look for Effie. To her surprise, Effie was right there next to the stone wall, waiting for her. Effie's eyes were puffy and red. Lily stepped back to look at her friend, Effie looked the same as always, tall, and so amazingly beautiful. Lily had always envied her dark hair, and sharp features. "Effie!" She cried, and quickly closed the space between them, embracing her dearest friend. "Let's find a cabin." The two girls quickly boarded the train, and found a cabin for themselves. If anyone could make her happy right now, it was Effie.

Seating herself on one side, Lily sat with her legs comfortably lying across the seat. Effie very unceremoniously flopped herself on the opposing seat. Lily looked up at her anxiously, her look said everything, and Effie started; "Did you get my letter?"

"Yes, just yesterday."

"Oh. Well, that's good." Effie said, nonchalantly, secretly enjoying her friends growing curiosity.

"So… " Lily enquired becoming very impatient, and not enjoying her friend's antics in the least.

Effie laughed, "What? No patience today huh Lils? Oh well, I suppose that just leaves me to tell you about my amazing summer." Effie's sarcasm wasn't lost on Lily at all. "I guess I can start by saying I hate death eaters. Biggest bloody bunch on morons, if you ask me; you know how Dad's an Auror… well, lets just say they didn't appreciate him helping in on that raid at the end of last term. You remember that don't you? My God! We have been in hiding all summer. Talk about ruining my life! But I guess Dumbledore is pretty concerned about all of us. Even the Potter's went into hiding this summer."

Lily blanched, realizing that she had not given much thought to the fact that You Know Who was quickly becoming a problem; even more so because she was muggle born. 'Merlin, what did that say about her…' she thought. Worry showed on her face suddenly and Effie looked at her questioningly.

"Umm, Lily…?"

"I'm sorry. I was just, well, I hadn't thought that we were really in that much danger. I knew he was getting stronger, but I… I feel so stupid, and helpless. I didn't do anything to protect my family. Effie, they can't do it themselves." Lily sighed.

"Lily, that is completely, and utterly unreasonable. There is no way you could have known." Effie stated in a matter-of-factly manner. "Don't worry though, with the way the war is headed, Dumbledore and the Order will probably start providing protection to muggle borns and their families."

At mentioning the Order, Lily asked, "Do you think Dumbledore would let us join the Order?" It had long since been a secret to Lily, Effie, and their Gryffindor comrades; ever since Dumbledore thought it prudent to inform a few of the up and coming seventh years of the world they would be entering. Lily figured it was a warning, something to push them to take sides, the 'Side of Light' as Dumbledore had described it, must have been lacking in recruits. It was a bleak subject, the wizarding world, the way things had become in the last few short years. Of course, most, if not all of the Gryffindor's had jumped at the idea of this secret society; and so did Lily.

"Have you completely gone mental?" Effie snickered at her friend. "I highly doubt that Dumbley-Dore would much approve of a bunch of teen-aged wizards and witches running around after death eaters." Lily blushed slightly, embarrassed only for a moment that she hadn't thought of that.

"You're right. He probably wouldn't. Anyways, guess what?" Lily asked, but Effie didn't get a chance to ask her what, because their compartment door slid open. James walked in, followed shortly by Sirius and Remus.

"I'm Head Boy." James stated, ironically answering Lily's previous question. He then proceeded to mess up his hair, much to Lily's dismay. Looking straight at Lily, he managed to make a seat for himself right next to her; lounging quite lazily, quite like a man.

"As I was saying…" Lily continued as if the Marauders hadn't just interrupted and James hadn't just sat next to her. "I'm Head Girl." She then proceeded to roll her eyes at James. Sirius and Remus had taken seats next to Effie, the three of them enjoying immature rough housing.

"That's great you two!" Effie congratulated emphatically, as Sirius was poking her in the side. "Really… it… it's surprising." Sarcasm was Effie's real gift, even if she was particularly good at transfiguration. Though Lily did agree, it really didn't surprise her either; that James was Head Boy.

"Doesn't that mean you two actually have to work together?" Sirius asked, fully well knowing they did, and smirking at his attempt to provoke Lily.

Remus sighed at his friend's never ending antics. "Well, I'm still prefect; if that counts for anything." He added.

Lily looked up at him and smiled. If there was anyone that she liked in particular of the Marauders, it was Remus, he was a really great friend. She still couldn't understand why he didn't try harder to keep his friends in line. She just assumed that there were some things that she would probably never understand. "Of course it does! That's a lot more than Effie or Sirius can say." She chided the other two with a smirk.

"As much as I love where this is going," Sirius started, "I have women to woo, and Slytherins to provoke. I will see you guys when we get to Hogwarts. Coming Remus?" And they left the compartment, out to conquer and defeat.

Effie snorted at the thought of Sirius wooing. "Right. Well, that leaves me to find something to do now, doesn't it."

"Sorry." Lily replied, feeling quite sorry that she was going to have to leave her best friend. "Maybe Alice is around here somewhere?"

"Yeah… and watch her and Longbottom snog, no thanks. No, I suppose I might just join Sirius and Remus."

James finally quit messing with his hair long enough to say something. "Well, er, I suppose we should probably head up to the front for the Prefect meeting, eh Evans?" He gave her a lazy smile.

"Sure." Lily said shakily. Not knowing what to say to him at this point. She was getting a little weary of being mad at him. No, it was getting hard to be mad at him, especially when she was pretty sure she fancied him. On that note, she thought of Severus. She wondered what he was up to, no doubt with some of his house mates, but she hoped against hope, that he wasn't.

'Lily, please forgive me.' He begged her.

'And why should I? Hmmm, so you can call me that filthy name again. Face it Severus, we are two people going two different ways. You chose your path, and I have chosen mine.' Lily yelled at him, angry and hurt.

'Lily, I didn't mean it. I'm just tired of you fighting my battles. I can do it myself.' Severus justified.

'I'm not fighting your battles… is that what you think I'm doing?' Lily couldn't believe what she was hearing. Severus thought that she was fighting his battles? Didn't he know that she just didn't want to see him hurting?

'Everyone knows that's what your doing Lily.'

Lily snorted at this. 'Shows how well you know me Sev.' He looked at her, confused. 'I'm not fighting your battles, and I wouldn't want to. I just hate the way that they treat you. You don't deserve that, nobody does.'

'You don't mean everybody… what about Avery, or Mulciber?' Severus joked half heartedly.

Compassionate as ever, Lily didn't think that even they didn't deserve that. She secretly wondered what a person would have to endure to make being a Death Eater seem like a way out. Shaking the thoughts from her head, she looked down at Severus on the floor, knowing that if she didn't forgive him, that is probably what he would turn to. So she did the unthinkable; she forgave him.

'I promise you Lily, I will never become a Death Eater. I promise you with everything I have.' Because I love you, he finished the sentence in his head. Lily never ceased to amaze him. With that, he left her standing by the portrait.

"Lily?" James asked her, noticing the blank stare that was on her face.

"What Potter?" She snapped, quickly leaving her thoughts behind.

"Nothing, well, are you coming?" He smiled back at her as he strutted out of the compartment. She pursed her lips at him, but said nothing, it was, after all, such a Potter thing to do, that she had no words. So instead, she followed him to the front of the train, to give the Prefect meeting.