"GO AWAY!" The redheaded beauty screamed, marching through the corridors of the ancient castle, she was waving a hands around her head, a mixture of different frustrations, aimed at either the idiot who would not stop following her, and her hair, which as usual refused to do what she wanted it to.

"Aw, come on Lily, one date!" The idiot boy called to her, still trailing after her, a wide grin spreading across his features. "It can't be that awful a thought."

"WANNA BET!" The redhead yelled over her shoulder, still storming through the corridors, anyone in her path moved quickly aside, there would be few other options when she was in such a terrible mood.

"Tell you what, I'll prove it, just one date, and then we'll see who wins!" She stopped and marched right up to him, and for a second fear passed over his ridiculously handsome features.

She was waving her index finger at him threateningly with her left hand as her right hand gripped her wand.

"I am telling you this for the very last time, Potter!" Lily spat at him, her eyes flashing dangerously, so much so that he actually gulped. "If you do not back off, I am going to do something that will cause you much bodily harm, so for your own sake do as I say!"

"Y'know if we took all this anger and kept it for the bedroom, I'm sure we could come up with some very interesting situations," His friends who had actually been following him, laughing at his sheer nerve, fell silent, as did anyone in hearing range.

Lily, who looked positively murderous at this point, stared at him.

"What did you say?" Her words were deadly quiet and spoken slowly, the pure fury bubbling beneath the surface.

James took a step back, realising that maybe, just maybe, he over stepped the mark.

The air around them was positively crackling with the furious energy that was rolling off her in waves. He really had overstepped the mark.

"Lily!" A voice called in the distance, breathless and worried; suddenly a soft rounded face appeared by James' side. The small girl looked between James and Lily cautiously. "You've really gone and done it this time James." She scowled, before stepping between the pair. "Come on Lily, we'll report him this time, I don't think getting yourself expelled is the best way of dealing with this."

"Wh-"

"Don't say anything!" The girl snapped. Lily looked like she was finally starting to go back to simply very angry, so he was not going to say anything that may actually get himself killed.

"And I thought you were meant to be my friend too," James muttered; only loud enough for the girl who had managed to calm Lily down to hear.

"Yeah well, I prefer Lily," The girl replied, before carefully linking her arm with Lily's and leading her down the corridors.

"And I love you too Becca!"

How times had changed from then… How the world had changed.

Everything had always seemed so simple, they were untouchable, and nothing could destroy the invincible. But regardless of their opinions of themselves they were no more than mere mortals, ever changing, and always that much closer to their end… Sometimes rather sooner then anyone of them thought possible.

That memory was from just two years ago; they had been fifteen at the time, carefree and joyful, for the most part at the very least. They had essentially been children, with little care for responsibility.

Everything changed, they changed, they grew up, they loved, they lost… It had all seemed so simple before the real world came crashing down on them. The world of fear and anger, none of them knew what to expect, and all of them dealt with it in different ways.

Out there, in the real world there was evil, horror and misery… There was a single man, and single being, who destroyed so much, stole so much from people, he was something else altogether.

"James, we need to talk," Albus Dumbledore spoke form behind his desk, nestled in his tower, for a long time now he had known something was wrong, but this was unbearable for him, to see this young man so full of possibility fall apart before him. "You're Head Boy, but I fear this is a position no longer suited to you, James there is no simple way of saying this, but you need help, I feel I may send you back to your home, perhaps your parents would be better suited to help you."

James looked at the man before him, he was elderly, long greying beard that reached his knees, his skin was wrinkled, and face was kind, though it was rare to see such a look of despair as was on his face now when he looked at James, over half moon spectacles.

James himself looked pale, ill… Eyes that used to sparkle had died long ago, the browns, greens and golds had turned murky, lost their youth, his previously ever present boyish grin now far too lost. It was heart breaking to see, to see such youth and potential lost in just a moment.

"Why? What will they do to change anything? Send me back there, I don't care." His voice was hollow, eyes dead, there was so little of the boy that used to be so lively there anymore. Albus had hoped and prayed that it would not come to this, to this moment of helplessness.

"James, you may believe I am unaware of your antic this year, but already you've created issues… You are no longer able to fulfil your duties, I'm afraid therefore you've left me with little other choice than to remove you posit-"

"Whatever."

James picked himself up from his slouched position in the chair before Albus, and tore the badge form his scruffy robes, throwing it onto the desk with a clunk, he turned his back on the Head teacher he once respected so, and moved from the office, not bothering to even spare a look towards the forlorn teacher.

"Sir, please, just a bit more, I know he's been difficult…" A redheaded girl argued with Albus Dumbledore, she looked so upset at what he was suggesting. "You can't do this!"

"Lily please do not argue with me, this decision has not been taken lightly, in fact, it was perhaps the hardest I have yet to make, but in these times we need someone strong and capable to help lead the school, James is unable to be that person," Albus informed Lily, there were a few people hanging around, clearly listening into the conversation.

Lily knew what he was talking about, right now students were loosing their family outside the of the school walls, people were dying, they were being murdered. More than ever the role of the Head Students was to support the student body, it was evident that James was in no fit state.

"We need you Lily, please, stay strong, the teachers and I shall discuss the further options, until then," Albus took her hand in his, and gently placed a small golden badge into her palm, 'Head Boy' it read, glittering beneath the sky shining through the windows. Her fingers closed over it, and Albus left her, standing in the corridor, and she was alone.