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Chapter 2.
"Head boy! James Potter. Head boy. Bloody head boy!" Lily grumbled, viciously stabbing at her chicken with her fork.
Marlene chuckled, shaking her head.
"I didn't believe it before, but now, I think it's safe to say, Dumbledore has officially gone bonkers." She sighed.
Lily, Marlene, Alice, and Alice's boyfriend, Frank Longbottom, were sitting in the great hall, having dinner.
The train ride had gone rather smoothly after Lily had gotten over the initial shock of James being head boy. He'd seemed...
Polite… courteous… mature.
Just…different.
This unnerved Lily to no end.
After their earlier encounter she was fully expecting to find a fire cracker under her seat, with an arrogantly written note reading: 'Did you seriously think I'd grown up, Evans!? How thick can you get?'
In fact, Lily thought she'd prefer that, it would reassure her that she hadn't simply imagined James' sudden change in behaviour and provide her with a reason for it all at once.
"Maybe he has potential. You know, he's alright once you get to know him." Frank said honestly, wrapping his arm around Alice's shoulder.
Frank and Alice were the Hogwarts power couple. They'd been together for around 3 years, and anyone with eyes knew that they were in love.
Lily sighed and dropped her fork with a clatter onto her plate, prodding the chicken away from her.
"I can't believe you just used James Potter and ' alright ' in the same sentence." She huffed.
"I still can't believe we're using James Potter and ' Head Boy ' in the same sentence." Alice shrugged, resting her head on Franks' shoulder. Marlene let out a shrill cackle of laughter, throwing her head back as she did so.
"What is it, McKinnon?"? Lily asked a confused smile on her face.
Marlene continued to laugh, clutching at her stomach.
"You - you too are – so going to get together!" She spluttered, in between bouts of her hysterical laugher.
Lily's eyes widened in shock as Alice and Frank joined in with Marlene's laughing.
"What? No, we won't!" She snapped, outraged.
Frank chuckled softly, "You might. 9 times out of 10, the head boy and head girl get together." He said, popping a grape into his mouth.
Lily groaned in annoyance, "Well, we are definitely not getting together. Got it?" She hissed, glaring threateningly at her three friends. Upon seeing the "death stare" as it had become affectionately known amongst them, all three friends held their hands in the air, surrendering.
"Whatever you say, Head Girl." Marlene winked.
Making an exasperated noise somewhere between a sigh and a growl, Lily stood up.
"I'm going to my room. I'll see you three tomorrow." She said, and before they could say anything, Lily was off.
/
Meanwhile.
"What are you saying? No more pranks? No more hexing people in corridors?" Sirius Black eyes grew wider with every word he said as he jogged to catch up with James, who was walking very quickly.
"Pads, I didn't say anything." James sighed. "I don't know what your problem is. And I stopped hexing people in corridors in fifth year. We both did." He pointed out.
Sirius shrugged. "Whatever. That's not the point. Why are you changing?"
James shook his head. "I'm not changing. Nothing's different! I'm the same as I was last year! ". Sirius let out a bark of laughter, and turned to look at the two boys beside him.
"Yeah right. You see it too, don't you? Remus? Peter?"
The slightly rounder, blonde, watery eyed boy, Peter Pettigrew, shrugged his shoulders.
"Yeah Sirius. Sure."
The boy beside him, a tired looking, tall, skinny, sandy haired boy, sighed.
"Sirius, I think James is just... trying to mature. Being Head Boy is a big deal and he can't keep on being such a, well... A prat, in so many words, if he wants it all to work out."
James narrowed his eyes." Why, thanks Moony." He said, sarcastically.
Remus gave him a toothy grin. "No problem."
Sirius shook his head. "Right, well, being head boys all well and good, but that's not why you're being less... you, is it?" He raised a dark eyebrow at his friend.
James fixed Sirius with an incredulous look. "I'm not being less me, for Merlin's sake! I'm not trying to be different, I promise!" He defended.
Sirius tilted his head, and seemed to study James for a minute.
"Okay, Prongs. Whatever you say. Moony's probably right. You're just maturing, yeah?" Sirius asked, seeking the reassurance he knew he needed.
James glanced up, a cautious look on his face.
"Yeah. Yeah, Moony's right." He said, regarding Sirius carefully. He lifted his arm up, and checked the watch on his wrist.
"I better get up to the Heads dorms. I'll see you tomorrow." He said, giving them a nod as he walked away from them.
Sirius smirked. "Well, you won't forget to say hello to Lily flower for me, will you Prongs?"
The three boys broke into laughter as James sent Sirius a rather rude gesture from behind his back.
Sirius sighed, a smile still on his face.
"Whatever this whole thing with James is, maturing, or whatever. You know who never liked all the parts of James that seem to have disappeared? Or at least gone on holiday? "
Remus looked at Sirius, sceptically.
"Who?" He asked wearily, out of a sense of duty more than anything else.
A mischievous grin spread across Sirius' face, "A certain Lily Evans. And man, is she going to be freaking out over this! I can't wait to hear her reaction. "He laughed, dashing down the corridor, heading for the Gryffindor dorms.
Remus sighed, and turned to look at Peter.
"I'm sure Pads will calm down." Peter tried to assure Remus.
Remus let out a deep breath as he slung his bag over his shoulder, and the pair began to walk forward.
"I hope so, Pete. I hope so. Or this year's going to be a lot more eventful than I thought."
/
"Password."
Lily sighed and reached into her pocket to take out the folded up scrap of paper McGonagall had given her, with the password scrawled on it.
Her lips twitched at the words on the paper. "Sleeping slippers." She said and the grey haired knight in the portrait smiled at her.
"Correct, Miss. You and your fellow head can change the password to whatever you like. Although, I'm afraid I haven't seen him yet..."
Lily attempted a smile, but succeeded only with a peculiar grimace. "Yes... James will probably be around shortly." She swallowed nervously.
As if the portrait sensed her unease, the knight tilted his head and gave her a sympathetic smile. "Don't worry, Miss..." He paused, waiting for her to give her name.
"Lily. Lily Evans." She said.
The knight's eyes twinkled. "Well. Don't worry, Miss Lily. I'm sure, whoever this Head Boy is; you'll get along just fine."
Lily couldn't stop herself from letting out a derisive snort.
Me? James? Getting along? Right.
Even the simple fact that he hadn't flashed his trademark, cocky smirk in Lily's presence yet, after they'd been at Hogwarts for nearly a whole five hours made her very paranoid.
The knight simply chuckled and shook his head knowingly.
"Just you wait, Miss Lily. Things have a habit of turning out rather unexpectedly around here."
Lily sighed. "Anyway, I should probably let you in now. Oh, wait! How rude! I didn't introduce myself." The knight stomped his foot on the ground, and Lily had to stifle a giggle.
"Sir Percival, at your service. Sir Percival the knight. It's an honor to make your acquaintance."
Sir Percival took a step forward and swooped down into a low bow. Lily tried her very hardest to keep a straight face as she curtseyed back; lifting up the ends of her robes a little as she did so.
"Pleasure to meet you, Sir." She smiled kindly.
The knight gave her a cheerful nod, before the portrait swung open. Bidding Sir Percival good bye, she took a step inside.
The common room was pretty much the same as the Gryffindor one. It looked very cosy and already rather lived in, with big sofas, and throws draped over the backs of them. There was a roaring fireplace against the wall, giving the room a warm, golden glow.
After scanning the room once more, Lily turned, and started to climb the only staircase in the place. As she reached the top, she saw there was a small landing, with one door on the left side, and one door on the right.
Lily paused, and read the golden plates that were stuck to the oak doors.
Lily Evans - Head Girl, read the door on the left, and James Potter - Head Boy read the door on the right.
Lily sighed as she brought her hand up, her fingertips brushing over James' name on his door.
With another sigh, she dropped her hand to her side once more.
"Bloody Potter!" She moaned.
/
The portrait door shut firmly behind James, and he stood there, bewildered for a moment.
The knight in the portrait had seemed nice. A little peculiar perhaps, but nice.
Running his hand through his hair, he stepped into the common room, and leaned against the doorframe as he examined the room.
Sprawled on the floor of said common room, scribbling away furiously on a piece of parchment, was Lily. Her red hair was twisted into a tight bun on top of her head, and she was wearing a rather oversized jumper, and a pair of shorts.
Her face was the picture of concentration as she wrote, her tongue sticking out a little in her determined focus. She stopped writing, and scanned over what she'd already written.
Now would probably be a good time for me to make myself known, he thought, before taking a tentative step forward.
"Lily."
The red head jumped, her head jerking towards the door.
"Merlin Potter! You scared the living day lights out of me! "She yelped, eyes wide.
James hopped back, feeling his cheeks start to heat up.
"Sorry! Sorry Evans, didn't mean to scare you." He apologized sheepishly, staring down at his feet.
Lily bit her lip, continuing in letting out a deep breath, and flopping back to the floor.
"It's okay. No harm done I suppose. Just don't sneak up on me again." She said warningly.
James chuckled.
"Right. Course not." He scratched behind his head nervously.
"Can I... can I sit with you?"
Lily looked up at him, her eyes narrowed.
"Why?" She asked suspiciously.
James coughed, averting her gaze.
"Just thought you might like the company."
Lily kept her gaze on James for a moment, before nodding, and plopping her quill back in its ink pot.
James sat down beside Lily, bringing his knees up to hug them.
"If you try anything Potter..." She muttered as she packed up her things into her bag.
James laughed.
"Don't worry Evans. You'll be fine."
Lily smirked, before leaning back against the couch.
They sat in silence for a moment.
"What are you up to, Potter?"? Lily said quietly.
James raised an eyebrow.
"What are you on about?"? He said, confused.
Lily laughed, shaking her head.
"You know. You're... different this year. Weird."
James frowned.
"Weird? Thanks a bunch, Evans."
Lily hit him on the arm.
"No, you prat. I mean, you haven't pulled any pranks yet." Lily said, searching for the right words to portray just how he was different.
"It's only the first day of term." James pointed out.
Lily shrugged.
"That's never stopped you before."
James sighed, fiddling absentmindedly with the ends of his school robes.
"And you haven't-". Lily stopped mid-sentence, looking at the ground.
"Haven't what?" James asked.
Lily shook her head dismissively, still looking determinedly at the floor.
"Tell me!" He laughed, poking her in the side.
"Potter!" She growled, swatting his hand away.
James froze, his eyes never leaving Lily.
"I haven't asked you out yet, that's it, isn't it?" He said softly.
Lily still didn't look up.
James ran a hand through his hair.
"I guess I'm tired of pestering you, Lily. You don't want to date me. I get it." He gave her a sad smile.
Lily finally lifted her head up, her face purposely blank.
"I just don't want to argue anymore. New Year, new start… right?" He offered, with a bit more desperation evident in his voice than he would've liked.
Lily's mouth twitched and she shrugged her shoulders.
"As long as you keep in line, Potter."
James laughed, and lifted himself off the ground, brushing himself down.
"Promise. Marauder's honor." He placed his hand on his heart. Lily snorted.
"I'm going to hit the hay. Coming?" He asked.
Lily shook her head.
"No, I'm just going to sit for a while."
James nodded, and started to walk up towards the staircase. Lily turned to the fire, staring into the flames.
"Oh, and Lily?"
Lily turned around, to see James peeking out from behind the wall.
"Sweet dreams." He winked.
Lily opened her mouth to speak, but before she had a chance he was gone, leaving Lily sitting there dumbfounded, her mind whizzing with a million thoughts.
The loudest and most immediate one being,
What the hell just happened?
A/N: Please review after reading! I love hearing from you guys, and I love feedback! Thank you to my beta, faithless98.