She thought her life was over – but fate gave her another chance, in a world of magic. Now, running around Hogwarts with James Potter and his friends, she's about to make choices that will change the future in ways she never thought possible…

Marauder's Phase

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE

Lily's Promise

"Lily, can I please borrow your eye-liner?"

"Sure, go right ahead Molly. Alice, are these your earrings?"

"No, they're mine. But you can wear them if you want to. I'm sure James will like them."

"Thanks Serilda."

"So you two made up?"

"Yeah…turns out the whole story wasn't true after all. Him and Sirius never did that."

"Wouldn't have surprised me if they had…what about Emma and Sirius?"

"No, they didn't make up yet."

"Really? I would've thought those two…I mean, really…he could hardly ever keep his hands off her, and she…"

"Hey, I can hear you, you know!" I snapped, coming up behind them with my hands on my hips.

"Oh, you're there." Alice looked sheepish. "Sorry…"

"OW!"

We all turned around, and saw that Molly had stabbed herself in the eye with the eye-liner.

"One day somebody will invent a spell that will put the make-up on for us." Molly complained, dabbing at her eye with a tissue. "Or else I will…"

"So you managed to convince them to let you invite Arthur to the ball?" Alice asked unexpectedly, expertly applying her cherry flavoured lip-gloss. We were in the girls bathrooms on the same floor as the Gryffindor Tower, and us and a few other girls from Gryffindor were getting ready for the ball. We would go back to the dorms and change into our dress robes…and then it would be time…

"Time to think of an alibi." I muttered, brushing my hair one last time and letting it cascade across my shoulders. I had washed it about four times that afternoon, and I hoped it looked alright.

"You will not," Lily had heard me. She came to stand behind me in front of the mirror, looking like a stern angel with her perfect make-up on. "You can do this Emma, no bailing out on us," She leaned close to me and whispered in my ear: "And no running out either, or else I'll come find you."

I gulped. Then I sighed.

"What's the matter?" Serilda asked, coming over to us as Alice and Molly chatted about Arthur and his and Molly's son (which was still an utterly foreign concept to me, and one I wasn't keen on delving in to).

Wordlessly, I reached out and touched a strand of Lily's gorgeous dark red hair, which felt as soft as it looked and seemed to shine in the light of the lanterns. Then I tugged at a strand of my own hair, which felt lifeless in comparison. "No one will ever notice mine…"

"Speaking of which," Alice suddenly appeared behind us. "Who are you going with, Emma?"

She kept springing the question on me randomly- they all did – in the hopes that I'd be startled into revealing who my partner was.

I frowned into the mirror. My reflection frowned back at me. She looked indignant. Perfect. "You'll find out in an hour." I said, wondering whether or not going in disguise would work. Probably not. "So stop asking me, please." I added, as gently as I could.

"Aww, come on," Alice chided. "Just give us a hint, okay?"

"No."

"Just a small one," Great, now even Molly wanted to know. It was hereditary – she'd be passing the gene on to her youngest son, I was sure of it! "Does he go to this school?"

I caved in, slightly. "Yes." I sighed. "He's from Hogwarts."

"Aha! So, what house is he in?" Alice asked.

"I'm not telling you!" I exclaimed. "You'll find out soon enough anyway!" I added, glaring at her.

She glared back at me. "Fine then. Just tell us – does he play Quidditch?"

I rolled my eyes. "What does that have to do with anything?" I wanted to know.

"I'm just curious!"

"Okay, fine," I said loudly, throwing my hands up into the air. "Yes, he does!"

"What position does he play?" Molly asked.

"The one that flies on a broomstick." I said sarcastically.

"So that means he's a very good player!" Alice declared.

"What! Yes-no, I mean…I…he…guys!" I wailed. "Stop asking me questions, okay?"

"Just answer us one more question," Molly grinned. "What colour eyes does he have?"

I groaned. "Oh please…" I looked at my friends for a moment, before giving in. "They're grey, alright? Silvery grey. Like the pools of memory in a Pensive…"

The girls stared at me.

"Emma," Molly said, finally. "That was poetic."

"She really is going with someone else…" Alice sighed. "I wonder who it is…"

"We'll find out tonight." Serilda said quietly, nodding to herself.

Lily was staring at me hard, her beautiful green eyes piercing into me. I could see the cogs in her head turning, her lightning-fast mind was piecing the puzzle together…then…

"Emma, no!" She gasped, grabbing my hands in hers and startling me. She dragged me out of the girls room, and our three dorm mates hurried to catch up with us.

"Lily, yes," I sighed, once we were in the corridor. The five of us huddled under a lantern. Outside, it was snowing. We could hear the boys having a snowball fight – shouldn't they be getting ready now? "It's no big deal…"

"No big deal!" She fairly screeched.

I blinked. "But it really isn't…wait, we are talking about the same person, right?" I had a feeling that we were.

Her green eyes narrowed. "I hope not. Emma, do you know what your boyfriend is going to say about this?"

"I'm more worried about what he's going to do…" I admitted.

"Why?" Lily demanded to know. "Why are you going with him?"

"Going with who!" Alice muttered.

We ignored her. "Because…I kind of…owe him…" I noticed the look on Lily's face. "But that's not the only reason!" I said quickly. I tried to explain. "I just…he's been…there for me…like a best friend who's not you guys…"

"Sirius has been there for you too, Emma," Lily said quietly. "And he considers you to be his best friend. He told me."

I sighed. "I know, it's just…I don't understand what's going on at the moment…with Sirius…or with anything…I just need one night where I can…not worry about it all. And I don't have to worry when I'm with…with the person I'm taking with me to the ball tonight." Even as the words left my mouth, I had to wonder at the irony of them. Considering who Regulus was working for, I had plenty to worry about.

"Emma…" Lily trailed off. She looked pained. Softly, she said: "You and Padfoot have to make up. It will kill him if you don't…"

"You have no idea Lily…" I whispered. "That it would kill me more, but…" I sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that evening. "Please, can you just make sure Siri doesn't do anything tonight that will get him expelled?"

"Or chucked in Azkaban." Alice piped up. I cringed. "Sorry," The little blonde said contritely.

"I'll keep an eye on him." Lily promised.

I hugged her. "Thank you…"