Hi everyone :)

So I decided to post the second chapter right away.
I've got a bunch of them almost ready to post, but they still need some tweaking.
So I hope you enjoy this one too :)

Also, I'd be really grateful if you took a few moments to review what you've read.
That way, I'll better be able to tell if the rewrite is having the effects I'd like it to have :)

Thanks so much! Happy Reading ^_^
-MissChievous

Chapter 2- The Ride to Hogwarts

Lily straightened up, closed her mouth, smoothed out her crisp black robes, and said in a low voice, "James Potter, you'd best give that badge right back to the poor bloke you stole it from before I take points away."

James only grinned at her, just like he did every time he won a Quidditch game. So proud and self-assured that it made Lily second guess herself. But she recovered, remembering that there was absolutely no way Professor Dumbledore would appoint someone to the post of Head Boy who landed himself in detention almost daily.

"Potter, I swear I'll take points. As much as I want Gryffindor to win, I'll do it," Lily threatened him.

"Lily, oh Lily," James sang with the confident grin still in place. "Haven't you heard? I am Head Boy!"

"Now be serious," Lily pleaded.

"You called me, Love?" Sirius poked his shaggy black haired head in the compartment door.

"What?" Lily said, thoroughly confused.

"You called my name. I just wanted to know what it was that you wanted, Love," Sirius dragged out the last syllable like an old Hollywood actress.

Unfortunately for Sirius, Lily was not in a joking mood. "You two are seriously impossible," Lily muttered.

"No… he's Jamesly impossible, I'm Siriusly impossible!" Sirius said with triumph spread across his face.

As James went over to immaturely high-five Sirius for his cleverness, Lily walked away shaking her head and complaining, "Boys…"

Lily looked around the familiar car that always seemed to be much bigger than it could have been. There was a large oak conference table at the center, with plush red chairs surrounding it and a modest chandelier above. There were some other smaller tables with chairs to one side, a few filing cabinets, a sink, a refrigerator, and a bookshelf to the other side. The space seemed at least three times bigger than any of the other cars, but Lily was thankful for this fact, especially today because it meant that she could be even further away from James Potter.

Soon all of this year's prefects began to pile into the car, and Lily was relieved to see Remus.

"Remus, James has stolen your 'Head Boy' badge," Lily informed him.

Remus, to Lily's surprise, looked slightly embarrassed. "Umm, Lily. I'm… not… I'm not Head Boy." Remus confessed.

Lily could have died with shock and embarrassment. "Oh, Remus. I-I'm so sorry. I didn't mean—"

"No, no, no. It's quite alright. Really, I don't mind," Remus assured her. Lily felt that Remus was being honest, though she could not understand why. She wanted to know why he didn't mind. How he wasn't 'Head Boy'. How it was possible that someone out did him. How he wasn't angry that he didn't have the badge. But by this time, Lily still hadn't found the right words to express that she couldn't think of another person better suited to be 'Head Boy'.

Waiting for the deep blush in her cheeks to subside, Lily cleared her throat, "Then, do you know who James stole the pin from?" she asked slowly, twisting her fingers.

"Well, as far as I know, James was chosen," Remus replied, and Lily's heart sank. She had been looking forward to having Remus as her partner because he was responsible. He always did his share of the work in classes. He didn't leave studying until last minute, and he didn't spend half of his school life in detention. Although, he was out sick quite a bit, but that was a different matter altogether.

Panicking about how she was going to balance classes, homework, Professor Slughorn's Club, studying for N.E.W.T.'s, taking N.E.W.T.'s, and Head duties for two people, Lily walked up to James and stared right into his face, trying to see how Professor Dumbledore could have ever thought that James Potter was the appropriate choice for 'Head Boy'.

"Uh, Lily?" James looked at her with his bushy eyebrows squished together. "I know I'm good-looking and all, but I didn't know you thought I looked this good. I'm flattered!" James exclaimed with a huge toothy grin.

Lily snapped out of her trance-like state of bewilderment, and stared at him incredulously. "James Potter, I was staring at you trying to figure out how on earth an egotistical, big-headed nitwit like you managed to get 'Head Boy'. Which by the way, requires that you aren't the biggest prat that ever lived." Lily shot angrily at him.

James obviously was not expecting this answer. For the first time, Lily thought she saw actual pain in his eyes, and she felt sorry in the instant that she saw it. But then she wondered what he was expecting. Did he think that just because he was 'Head Boy' that she would drool all over him like the rest of the girls in the school? Was she, Lily, supposed to be impressed?

The train car was silent. Every prefect was staring at their Head Boy and Girl. Some mouths were hanging open. Some people had frozen in strange positions having stopped at the sound of Lily's anger. One prefect was even in the process of pinning his badge to his robes and didn't realize that he was in fact pinning his finger. Lily walked over to the fifth year boy, unstuck the pin from his finger, and performed a simple charm to stop the bleeding and heal the skin, before she said, "Alright then. Is everyone present?"

The Head Boy and Head Girl didn't speak directly to each other until the meeting was over.

James broke the silence first. "You really think that about me?" James asked in a small voice as they cleaned up after the meeting.

Lily's rage had cooled off a bit and she didn't feel like yelling anymore, but she was still mad that he was 'Head Boy'. "Yes, Potter, I do. And I know it's true because I see it everyday." Lily replied calmly.

"You know, I promise I'm really not that bad if you'd give me just half a chance. I was only teasing you before, anyways." James tried.

Lily took a breath about to speak, but stopped herself. It was no use trying to argue this one. "I'm sorry I yelled at you," she said finally. "But you're still an egotistical git." And with that, Lily exited the car leaving a silent James Potter in her wake.

Still reeling through the events of the past half hour, Lily almost walked past her compartment. She heard her friends, but Kat and Ali's voices weren't the only ones she could hear. She could hear three others in addition to her friends. Although Lily did not mind her good friend Remus being there, the fact that he was there with Sirius and Peter, meant that James would be joining them too.

"Oh, hey Lily," Ali greeted her.

"How was the meeting?" Kat asked.

Sirius snorted, "You should ask her who her other Head will be."

Ali and Kat exchanged confused looks, then they both turned to face Lily, expectantly. But Lily, not wanting to admit the fact aloud, took a seat next to the window and watched the dreary countryside fly past her instead. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she pleaded with fate, hoping to believe that this was all a big mistake, and that Professor Dumbledore had simply gotten Potter mixed up with Peters from Ravenclaw. Saying that Potter was Head Boy with her own voice, would confirm it as fact. And then Lily wouldn't be able to take comfort in the possibility that it was all one frightening mix-up. Just like when she first met James and thought he was cute.

Back then Lily, the tiny first year that she was, struggled for thirty minutes to get her trunk down the hallway of the train to find an open compartment, when finally, a much older boy with red hair came to her rescue. He levitated her trunk easily down the hallway, and finding out that she was not from a magical family, asked her all sorts of questions about what he called, "The Muggle World." By the time they had found a compartment that was empty enough to allow Lily and her trunk to enter, she was relieved to leave red haired boy and his strangely enthusiastic questions about electricity.

In the cruelest twists of fate, Lily had found herself in a compartment of four bouncing boisterous boys. She came to know them later as, "The Marauders." When she entered the compartment and said goodbye to the red haired boy, the four boys took no notice of her. They were jumping on the seats and talking very loudly about some kind of testing hat. Content with being unnoticed, Lily's stomach gave an unpleasant lurch when one of the boys jumped off of the seat and onto her trunk.

"And who might you be?" a cute boy with wavy black hair asked her.

Then another boy landed in front of her, his hazel eyes sparkling like snow at sunrise. He opened his mouth to say something, but Lily cut him off, "You?" she had said. "You're the boy who knocked me over on the platform."

The second boy with the hazel eyes had stared at her like she had an eyeball in the middle of her nose, but he didn't respond.

"James, you know her? Why don't you introduce us?" the first boy asked. By then, the other two boys had stopped bouncing, and were watching the scene interestedly.

"I didn't say that I knew him, I said he knocked me over on the platform," Lily corrected. "Why don't you apologize?"

The young James had finally found his voice as his hand ruffled his short black hair, "I helped you pick up your things."

"That's true," Lily thought.

"But I wasn't the one-" James started, but then Lily's friend Severus entered the compartment.

"There you are, Lily. I've been looking all over for you." Severus' black hair was in his face as usual. But his hair wasn't the same as the other boys in the compartment. The first boy's hair was shiny and wavy and looked like it belonged in a hair care advertisement. The second boy's hair was also black, but short. And even though it was very messy, it still looked cool. Severus' hair was greasy and stuck together in chunks. Lily had been embarrassed for him.

"So your name is Lily?" James had asked her.

"Yes, I'm Lily Evans," she replied with a smile.

"My name is-"

"James," Lily cut him off. "Your friend said your name before," she pointed at the first boy who had spoken.

"My name is Sirius," the first boy said. "And this is Remus, and that's Peter," he said, pointing to the other two boys.

"And I'm Severus," Severus stated. "Lily, come on, there is a compartment down a little further for us."

"Oh come on, why don't you stay here with us?" James asked, looking at Lily.

Lily had started to say "yes," but Severus cut her off.

"Why would we want to stay here with you lot?" he sneered.

"Severus," Lily said, slightly shocked at his tone. "They seem nice, why don't we stay here?"

"Lily, why do you want to stay here with them? There are some much better people down the train a bit. Ones who aren't so full of themselves," Severus shot an appraising look at the four boys.

"What," Sirius challenged, "our hair isn't dirty enough for your company?"

"Stop," Lily said. "That was rude," she shot a look at the boy named Sirius. Then glancing at James, she turned to Severus, "Can't we stay here? My trunk is really heavy, and I'm tired."

Severus had looked into Lily's eyes and given in. "Okay, just let me go get my things."

Lily beamed at him and gave him a quick hug. "See you soon then."

Severus had left the compartment and never come back. But Lily had had a great first train ride with the four boys telling her all about the school and what to expect. They even explained about the Houses, and which one they hoped to be in, and what each one was known for, including the one known for dark magic. By the time the train stopped, Lily knew much more about the magical school, and found that she really liked the four boys; especially James, with the glasses and the golden hazel eyes.

Just then, as if he had been called to the room by her thoughts, none other than James Potter entered the compartment jarring Lily back to the present. "Who wants a picture with your new 'Head Boy'? I'm taking orders." James grinned his pearly whites at the girls. Lily turned away with a sour look on her face, and nearly choked when she heard her friends voices.

"You're Head Boy?" Ali gasped.

"Don't sound so surprised," Sirius said, sounding affronted for his friend.

"Congratulations! The best looking 'Head Boy' Hogwarts has ever had," Kat cheered.

"That's more like it! Best looking and most amazing Quidditch Star," Peter added reverently, his already watery eyes, looking even more watery than usual.

"Now you'll get to spend lots of time with Lily. Isn't that right?" Ali said, and Lily closed her eyes and prayed for patience.

"Do you think the two of you will have a special 'Heads' bathroom like they do for the prefects?" Kat asked with a juicy tone. A tone that Lily did not approve of.

"Okay, okay, James is Head Boy. Let's all crack open some Butterbeer. Yeesh," Lily rolled her eyes. About two years ago Lily might have been excited about the prospect of being co-Heads with Potter, but after their fifth year and what happened there, she couldn't think of him or treat him in the same way.

Sirius jumped up, "That sounds like a wicked idea!" He jumped around the compartment, his black hair flouncing about his face. "Anyone got any?"

"Of course we don't have Butterbeer, you idiot," Lily said. Taking the strong cue from their friend, Kat and Ali sat back down and stopped praising James. "So, in the last letter you sent me, you were talking about Francois?" Lily spoke to Kat. Wishing to ignore James at all costs, Lily fully involved herself in gossip about her friends' summers.

Then, just as Kat was getting into a particularly dramatic part of her summer-fling story, James called, "Lily, my love. It is time. We must depart."

"Good. Go then," Lily said impatiently as she continued to listen to Kat.

"No, you must come as well. Bid your friends a fond farewell and follow me," James announced, putting on an act of chivalry.

"You must be munching on Dungbombs again. Can't you see? I'm in the middle of a story. I don't have time for your shenanigans. If we must depart or whatever then go. I don't see the problem." Lily snapped.

"Alright, I guess I'll just have to make our rounds all by my lonesome," James shrugged.

"Oh!" Lily exclaimed, jumping out of her seat. Then she turned to James and the energy she had exited her body completely. "Let's go," she sighed.

"After you m'lady. The most beautiful, most gorgeous, most wonderful, most—"

"Save it Potter. And shove it where the sun don't shine."

"Ouch Evans!" James gasped, faking injury to his heart. Sirius looked up just in time to catch the fainting James. Sirius and James had pulled this many times, and Lily rolled her eyes. "That hurt!" said the now limp body of James hanging from Sirius' arms.

"Potter..." Lily began in a seductive tone.

"Yeah?" James exclaimed excitedly jumping from Sirius' arms.

"Let's go!" Lily ordered, breaking the act. And with that, James bowed his head in defeat and walked out the door. As soon as Lily closed it, she heard Sirius howl with laughter.

"Alright," Lily started, "Let's start at the back of the train and work our way up."

"Yes, ma'am." James replied with a soldier salute.

Lily rolled her eyes. They walked along in silence, each kept to his or her own thoughts. Lily was still wondering how James could possibly be Head Boy, when she was jarred back to the real world. She heard screaming from a nearby compartment, opened the door, and saw her brother Heath Evans.

The scene that met her eyes made Lily shake her head with a grin. Her younger brother, Heath, was standing on one of the seats shouting, "No way! Pasta is way better than grilled cheese! I mean, grilled cheese is just cheese and bread!"

Lily laughed. There was her short, red haired, skinny little third-year brother, trying to win his fight by standing on the red cushioned bench. Heath was loud, but also smart, even though his mind was often on food.

On the other side of the compartment, Michael Short, Ali's younger brother and Heath's best friend, screamed, "No way! Grilled cheese is the best, and I win! So there!" Mikey was tall for a third year and did not have to stand on the bench to compete with Heath. His hair was light brown, and he had blue-grey eyes, very similar to his older sister's. But, he was much louder and outspoken than her.

"Hey! What are you two screaming for?" Lily teased making them both jump.

"Hey! Lilymeister!" Heath yelled as he almost tackled his sister to the ground.

"Heath Bar!" Lily shouted back as she hugged her brother.

"Jamsiepoo!" yelled James startling everyone in the compartment. Heath, Mikey, and their friends all laughed at James' joke, but Lily just rolled her eyes. "What?" James asked innocently. "I felt left out!"

"How are you Heath? We missed you at breakfast this morning," Lily said.

"I'm wonderful," Heath grinned. "Hey guys! This is my big sister," Heath boasted to his friends. "She's Head Girl, so if you ever need anything-"

"Heath!" Lily cut in, a little shocked but laughing.

"Only joking, Lily," Heath said. Lily noticed her brother nervously glance back at friends.

"Oh! Is the girl here? The one you wouldn't tell mum about?" Lily whispered secretively, nudging her brother.

"Yes, so don't say anything," Heath warned with a sheepish grin.

"I won't," Lily promised. "But I have to go now and finish up my rounds with this ruddy dolt," she said unenthusiastically.

"Okay sis, I'll see you later!" and Heath turned back to his friends.

"Tell Ali to study hard or I'll disown her!" Mikey called.

"Okay," Lily laughed. "Roger that."

Lily turned to the door and realized that James was staring at her with that look in his eyes. "What?" she asked as she closed the door and continued walking

"Lily? Will you go out with me?"

"Potter, how many times do I have to tell you?" Lily pleaded as they passed by a compartment of Slytherins.

"Only once when your answer is 'yes'!" James replied with a spring in his step.

"Oh, nice try Potter, but sorry, you are assuming and consequently are mistaken." Lily paused waiting for James to start whining again, but when she looked at him, he looked as if he were waiting for an answer. "No, no, no, and no!"

"Well that was not very lady-like of the Gryffindor, Ms. Prim and Proper Head Girl," James teased.

"Whatever," Lily said.

"Come now, you can't be serious! You know you want to say 'yes'! You know you want to!" James persisted.

"No! I'm serious alright?" Lily assured him.

"No, you're not!" James said.

"Yes I am," Lily said opening the door to the compartment where their friends were sitting, "I'm dead serious!"

"Oh no! You can't die! James, you foul prat! You've killed her!" Sirius said as he jumped up from his seat, ready to catch Lily if she fell.

"Ah! I didn't mean 'I'm dead, Sirius'! I meant—" Lily pleaded.

"Ah ha! I told you, you weren't serious!" James exclaimed, his eyes narrowed in determination. "So that means you'll go out with me?" James asked hopefully.

"I—" but Lily was cut off again.

Sirius gasped. "Wait. You said you were Sirius? How dare you?" Sirius exclaimed in a scandalized tone. "I am Sirius! I'm the only one worthy enough of the title because I am so serious," Sirius said making a face in which Lily thought he tried to look like he was intensely concentrating, but actually looked like-

"Are you constipated, mate?" James asked, patting Sirius on the back in a consoling manner.

"What? I can be serious!" Sirius pleaded.

"Sure, Padfoot. You can be serious when Peter here becomes the top student in our year." James said.

"Hey!" Peter whined.

"Alright guys. Calm down, we're almost there," Remus tried to settle his friends through his laughter.

Thank you so much for reading :D
I would be so grateful to you, if you could please write me a few words on what you think of what you read.
Any questions, comments, critiques, criticisms, praise, or otherwise, are crucial to the writing process.
So, Thank You, in advance to any and all who take the few seconds to review ^_^
-MissChievous