Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
Chapter 6 The First Test of Authority
"Okay so now that you all have your assignments you can go enjoy the rest of the ride. Just make sure to patrol the corridors at your designated times and if you have any trouble come find either Lily or myself," James finished.
Everyone started to collect their things and move out of the compartment. Remus waited to see if James was coming with him.
"You coming, James?" he asked.
James looked at Lily, "Is there anything else we need to talk about?"
"No, I think we're done, I'm going to go find the girls."
"Actually," Remus interjected, "we're sharing a compartment with Marlene and Katie. They couldn't find any other open compartments."
"Oh, is it safe to leave Marlene and Sirius in a compartment together?" James asked sounding mildly amused.
"Well, I'm not sure, but Katie and Peter are there to keep an eye on them," Remus said with a chuckle.
"Maybe we should walk more quickly," Lily suggested with a laugh.
James and Remus laughed too. Sirius and Marlene were actually friends, but occasionally one of them would piss off the other and then, well, let's just say it was best to run away.
The three of them entered the compartment to find their four friends laughing at some story Sirius was telling. From what James could tell it involved the time they had turned Snape's hair pink.
"Hi, guys," Katie said, trying to stop laughing. "How was the meeting?"
"Fine," Lily said. "What have you guys been up to?"
"Nothing really, just telling stories about the past six years. I can't believe this is our last year," Marlene said looking slightly nostalgic.
The Witch pushing the food trolley interrupted them and everybody scrambled to get their moneybags.
Lily bought a pile of chocolate frogs, a couple cauldron cakes, and some Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans.
"How can you eat those?" James asked pointing at the Every Flavor Beans with a look of revulsion.
"Because they're so much fun, you never know what flavor you're gonna get," Lily said happily. "Where's your sense of adventure?"
"It disappeared when I got a vomit flavored one. Most disgusting thing I've ever put in my mouth."
"It couldn't have been that bad?" Lily said laughing slightly.
"Well, no, the actual vomiting that it caused was much worse, especially with the other flavors, like sardine, horseradish, and grass that I'd already eaten," James said sarcastically.
"Oh, yeah, I guess I wouldn't eat them anymore either," Lily said, looking mildly disgusted.
"Well, you asked," James replied grinning innocently.
"I like the grass flavored ones," Sirius said wistfully.
The others laughed.
"You would," Remus chuckled.
In what seemed like a very short time, they were pulling into Hogsmeade Station.
Lily, James, and Remus, who had to help supervise the unloading of the train, left the compartment a few minutes before they arrived to get their things out of the Heads and Prefect compartments.
James and Lily entered the Head's compartment and James looked at Lily.
"Here we go. You ready?" he asked.
"Ready as I'll ever be. Let's go," she said sounding slightly nervous.
"First years put your trunks over here and they'll be taken up to the dormitories," James called into the crowd.
James smiled when he saw the first year girl he had been talking to on the train pulling her trunk along next to another girl, who also looked like a first year.
"Hello, ladies."
The two girls looked at him and giggled.
"Just put your trunks over here and then go find the really tall man with the shaggy beard. His name is Hagrid. He may look a bit intimidating but you won't find a nicer guy," James said with a smile. The girls giggled again. "He'll be taking you up to the Castle," James explained.
"Thanks," the second girl said giggling again and turning red before the two of them hurried off.
"Firs' years, firs' years, o'er here," James suddenly heard Hagrid's booming voice over the crowd.
"Hi, Hagrid," James called waving.
"Hello, James. Have a good summa'?"
"Yeah it was great!"
"Couldn' believe it when Dumbledore told me he chose yeh fer Head Boy, congratulations!" Hagrid called grinning. "An' congratulations ter yeh too, Lily."
"Thanks, Hagrid," Lily called appearing suddenly next to James.
Once the rest of the students had started to make their way over to the horseless carriages James and Lily checked that everything was in order and headed over to the carriages themselves.
James and Lily looked around but didn't see any of their friends so they climbed into the carriage at the end of the line and were surprised that no one joined them.
"Well, so far so good," Lily said conversationally.
"Yeah, so far," James replied nervously.
"I never thought I'd see the day that James Potter was nervous about anything," Lily said with a grin, trying to cheer him up.
"Yeah, well don't go spreading it around," James said slightly more harshly then he meant to.
"You know I wouldn't," Lily said slightly hurt.
"I'm sorry," James said, "I'm just nervous is all."
"It's ok, like I said before, you're not alone."
"So, how was your summer?" James asked hoping to change the subject.
He had never had a pleasant conversation with Lily last this long. They didn't fight exactly, but half the time James opened his mouth to talk to Lily something stupid came out that would annoy her causing her to call him an arrogant prat or something along those lines and end the conversation.
"It was ok."
"Nothing exciting at all?" James asked with a grin.
"Becoming Head Girl, I guess, but nothing else really," Lily said smiling slightly. "Oh and my sister got engaged," Lily added rolling her eyes as she did so.
"Oh, well, that's exciting," James said. "Isn't it…?"
"For her I guess, I wouldn't be excited about being engaged to him, but I suppose he's perfect for Petunia."
"That good, huh?" James asked with a grin.
"I refer to him, unaffectionately, as 'The Whale,'" Lily said grinning.
"Ah," said James, "He can't be that terrible can he?"
"Let's just say he and my sister are a perfect match," Lily replied.
Suddenly the carriage came to a halt. James and Lily looked up to see Hogwarts in front of them. Neither had realized that they were there already.
"Well, we had better get going," Lily said. "I'm starving."
With that she hopped out of the carriage with James right behind her.