Lily Evans was extremely confused at the behaviour of James Potter. She smacked Marlene McKinnon, who was giggling hysterically beside her.

"I'm sorry, Lily, but it was so funny!"

"Yeah, but it was strange though, don't you think?" added Emma Prewitt, who was standing on the other side of Lily. "What d'you think it means? Has he gone off Lily? Or he just playing hard to get?"

Marlene snorted. "Gone off Lily? I doubt it! He's been chasing her for five years now, he's not going to just suddenly stop liking her. And hard to get? Don't even get me started! It is odd though... What do you think, Lily?"

No response.

"Lily?" Marlene waved a hand in front of her face.

"Wha'? Um, yeah, what she said." Lily said quickly.

Emma shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"C'mon!" Marlene ordered them. "Cauldron cakes await!"

Lily was silent for most of the journey to Hogwarts, occasionally mumbling responses to sound like she was interested in the conversation of her two best friends.

Had Potter stopped liking her? Wasn't she good enough for him anymore? Not that she wanted him to like her, but it was still kind of flattering to have someone compliment you every time they saw you. Even though it was extremely irritating after the first hundred times, but still... She couldn't remember a time when Potter wasn't constantly hitting on her.

"Lily, we're getting close to Hogwarts." Emma interrupted her train of thought. "Time to get into our robes."

"Oh, Lily, I've been meaning to ask you," Marlene said. "Who's Head Boy this year?"

"Dunno." Lily replied, thoughtfully. "Remus, probably – hopefully! It didn't say in my letter." Lily absent-mindedly rubbed her Head Girl badge, wiping away an imaginary smudge.

"Well, we'll find out soon enough. Look – there's Hogwarts!" Emma said excitedly, pointing out the window.

"Wow, I can't believe it's our last year at Hogwarts." Lily said.

"Yeah, I know." Marlene agreed. "Seven years seemed like such a long time back in first year, but look how fast it's going."

"Mmm." Emma nodded sadly.

The trained slowed and the three girls stood up and started taking down their suitcases.

"I can't wait for the feast, I'm starving!" Marlene said loudly. It was hard to hear over all the noise at Hogsmeade station, but Marlene had such a loud voice, it wasn't difficult for her friends to understand what she was saying.

Marlene was a very pretty and outgoing girl. She had black, wavy hair that reached her waist, and brilliant blue eyes that sparkled when she smiled. She wasn't exactly skinny, but she wasn't fat either. Everyone liked Marlene and she had a lot of friends. She was always the centre of attention, which she used to her advantage quite a lot.

Emma, on the other hand, was quite the opposite of Marlene. She didn't have the same kind of beauty as Marlene, but she certainly wasn't plain. She had mousy brown hair that just about reached her shoulders and dark brown eyes that were almost black. She had a heart shaped face, and her mouth was slightly too big when compared to the rest of her features. She was very quiet in big groups of people, but she was extremely funny and great to be around when it was just the three of them.

"I can't wait to get back to my four-poster." Emma said. "I'm wrecked!"

The three friends headed towards the horseless carriages, when Emma noticed they weren't quite so horseless this year.

"Oh my gosh, what are they?"

"What are you talking about Emma?" Lily asked, puzzled.

"Those!" Emma said exasperatedly. "Pulling the carriages!"

"There's nothing there, Emma." Lily told her friend slowly, as if talking to a five year old.

At the same time, Marlene said, in the same patronising tone, "They've always been there."

"Wait, what?" Marlene and Lily looked at each other, equally confused.

"You mean, you can't see them?" Marlene asked.

"See what?" Lily retorted. "There's nothing there!"

"There is so!" Emma told her.

"We'll prove it." Marlene said, dragging Lily to the front of the carriage. She proceeded to take Lily's arm and pull it out towards the horse-like animal.

"Marlene, this is – Oh my gosh!" Lily exclaimed, pulling arm away.

Rubeus Hagrid, the gamekeeper walked over to the three girls, who were now discussing what the animal might be.

"I see yeh've found ou' abou' the Thestrals, then."

"The what?"

"Thestrals. Yeh can only see 'em if yeh've seen death. They're harmless creatures, really. I tamed this lot m'self." He told them proudly. "Only tame herd in Britain, they are."

"Wow, Hagrid, I've never heard of Thestrals before, and I've read Hogwarts: A History three times at least." Lily said.

"Yeah, well, they don' say nothin' abou' the house elves either, bu' tha' don' mean they're not there."

"There are house elves at Hogwarts?"

"Well, yeah, how'd yeh think all the food gets on yer plates?"

"I -" Lily hesitated. "I guess I never really thought about it before.

"Well, yeh'd better get goin' or yeh'll be late for dinner."

Lily, Marlene and Emma looked around. Nearly all the carriages had left. They quickly got into their carriage and started their trip to the castle.

The feast passed without excitement, and Marlene and Emma got up to leave for bed.

"I'll be up as soon as the meeting is over." Lily told them.

Her friends wished her luck, and told her they'd wait up for her.

"I'll be as quick as I can. Fingers crossed Remus is Head Boy!"

The girls smiled and left. Lily was positive that Remus would be Head Boy. He was really clever and did well in nearly every class. All the teachers loved him, and he Lily thought he was very nice. She couldn't understand why he was a Marauder, but all the same, he would make a good Head Boy.

Lily finished her treacle tart and got up to go to her meeting. She didn't want to go alone, so she walked over to where the Marauders were sitting and tapped Remus on the shoulder.

"Remus? You ready for the Head's meeting?"

Remus smiled and shook his head. "Umm... Not exactly."

The other three Marauders started laughing hysterically. Lily frowned.

"What?"

"Well, I'm not Head Boy."

Lily blushed. "Oh, sorry, I guess I just assumed it would be you."

"So did we." Sirius told her, solemnly. "So imagine our surprise when we discovered who was actually appointed Head Boy."

Lily furrowed her brow. "Why? Who is it?"

James looked at her, trying not to laugh. "It's me."

Lily's jaw dropped. James took his badge out of his pocket and pinned it onto his robes, smiling.

Lily was silent for a few moments, before suddenly bursting into laughter.

"Oh, very funny, Potter. Now, give Remus back his badge before we're late for our meeting."

Remus looked at her apologetically. "Lily, he actually is Head Boy. Sorry."

"But … But … He – I – You – He couldn't be!" Lily stuttered.

Remus shrugged and went back to his dinner. James stood up, ran a hand through his already messy black hair and looked at Lily.

"Sorry to disappoint you, Evans, but you're stuck with me for the year."

Lily made a strangled sort of noise. "Why does the world hate me?" she muttered as she stormed off. Behind her, she could hear the Marauders laughing.

"She took it better than you thought, Prongs."

"Yeah, she didn't slap you. You owe me a Galleon, Wormtail!"