Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. That privilege belongs to J.K. Rowling, I am merely borrowing her characters for my own, and hopefully your, amusement. JKR is also, of course, responsible for Lily calling James "an arrogant, bullying, toe rag." It's a great line, and alas it is hers.

Chapter 7 Back at Hogwarts

They walked up the front steps and into the entrance hall. As Lily walked into the castle she felt the sense that she was coming home wash over her. She loved her family but she had missed Hogwarts terribly over the summer.

She walked into the Great Hall and looked up at the ceiling. She could see the stars shining in the night sky outside. Lily knew it was really only bewitched to look like the outside, but it was still hard to believe when you were actually looking at it.

Lily headed over to the Gryffindor table and saw Marlene and Katie sitting with their fellow seventh year Gryffindors Mary and Abby. The five girls got on very well and were good friends, although Lily felt closest to Marlene and Katie.

James spotted Sirius, Remus, and Peter sitting a little farther down the table and went to join them.

"So," Sirius asked with and evil grin as James sat down, "what's going on with you and Evans or should I say Lily?"

"There's nothing going on Sirius. We just agreed that if we're going to be Head Boy and Girl that perhaps we should try and get along. And we figure calling each other by our first names is part of 'getting along,'" James replied rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, but it's weird. I can't remember the last time you referred to each other by your first names," Sirius said, trying to remember if they ever had. "I mean I always thought she hated you."

"She's never hated him," Remus said.

"Then why does she insult him and call him a, what is it…oh yeah, 'an arrogant, bullying, toe rag' all the time," Sirius asked indignantly.

"Because I deserved it," James replied fairly. "Although I don't see how that proves that she never hated me…" he added looking at Remus for an explanation.

"It was just how you acted that she hated, not you," Remus explained.

Just then McGonagall came out with the three-legged stool and the Sorting Hat. She placed the hat on the stool and the school fell quiet. As had become its habit over the past several years the Sorting Hats song once again emphasized the need for the four Houses to stand together, to unite. James thought it was a nice sentiment but found it hard to imagine getting along with the Slytherins. Sure they weren't all evil, Ol' Sluggy was a Slytherin and he was a bit, well, but he wasn't evil. James was brought out of his thoughts as McGonagall called out the first name, Arnte, Robert who became a Gryffindor. James clapped and cheered along with the rest of the Gryffindors as Arnte, Robert made his way over to the Gryffindor table looking happy and somewhat relieved.

Finally Willfred, Margaret, the girl from the platform was sorted into Hufflepuff and Professor McGonagall took the sorting hat away.

Professor Dumbledore stood up and the noise that was beginning to rise now that the Sorting was over died away.

"Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts. I know you are all eager for the feast to begin but before that, I have a few start of term announcements. First, I would like to inform our first year students and remind some of our older ones that the Forbidden Forest is not just a name, and that students are not allowed to enter it. Mr. Filch has also asked me to remind you that magic is forbidden in the corridors between classes.

Also, I need not remind you that we are living in dangerous times. I would like to reassure you that every possible measure has been taken to keep the school and you safe in these troubled times. I therefore ask you to follow the rules that have been set in place for your safety. Students should not be out of bed after hours and should not go outside after dinner. If you see or hear of anything that causes concern please report it at once to your Head of House. I think that is everything of importance so let's tuck in."

With that food appeared on the four house tables.

"Finally," Sirius said, "I'm so hungry I could eat a hippogriff." With that pronouncement he proceeded to piled food onto his plate.

"So, Lily," Katie began, "what's going on with you and James? You two seemed awfully friendly today. I mean you called him by his first name!"

"Well he wrote me over the summer after finding out we were going to be working together and suggested that we try to get along. And I figure that since we have to work together we might as well be friendly. So I agreed and we also decided to call each other by our first names. We thought we would undermine our own authority calling each other Potter and Evans," Lily stated.

"Wait a minute," said Marlene, "You knew that James was going to be Head Boy before you got here and you didn't tell us?!"

"You do like him," Katie grinned at Lily.

"No, I don't," Lily insisted rolling her eyes, "I just didn't want to listen to you to badger me for the rest of the summer."

"Did you know it was James when we went to Diagon Alley?" Katie asked.

"Yeah, and I thought about telling you but decided not to for the sake of my sanity."

"You so like him," Katie said again still grinning at Lily.

Lily rolled her eyes and turned her attention to her steak and kidney pie. "Whatever," she grumbled.

Katie was wrong. She did not like James. She certainly didn't hate him and he did seem to have matured over the summer and she thought he might have grown taller and he was so sweet to that little girl who was nervous…ok she needed to stop that. She mustn't forget that he'd also spent the last year or two asking her out incessantly and messing up his hair just to make himself look cool.

A sharp poke roused Lily from her thoughts.

"Huh?" she said looking around confused.

"Could you pass me the chicken, I've only asked you like five times," Katie informed her chuckling.

"Oh yeah sure," Lily said, passing the chicken to Katie and still looking slightly confused.

She didn't like James, she couldn't. She'd spent the last six years not liking him, why would she start now?

Finally dinner and dessert were finished and all the plates and goblets became sparkling clean once more. Dumbledore stood up again.

"Now that you have all had your fill it is getting late and I know you want to be refreshed for your classes tomorrow so off to bed, chop, chop," said Dumbledore smiling.

James headed down the Gryffindor table towards Lily. Lily looked up and saw him.

"You coming, Lily?" Katie asked.

"You guys go ahead. I have a meeting with Dumbledore. I'll be up in a bit," Lily replied.

"Ok, see you in a bit, then," Marlene said as she and Katie headed towards the queue forming by the door.

"Did you enjoy the feast?" James asked coming up beside Lily.

"Yeah, it was delicious, you?"

"Excellent as always," James said smiling. "I think Dumbledore wants us to go meet him at the teachers' table," James said indicating Dumbledore, who was watching them smiling.

Lily nodded in agreement and she and James headed towards Dumbledore.

"Hello, James, Lily, I trust the train ride was uneventful," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Yes, sir. It was fine," James said.

"Good, good. Well if you'll follow me please we'll move this meeting to my office."

Lily and James followed Dumbledore down the hall. Lily was feeling distinctly nervous. She had only spoken to Dumbledore on a few brief occasions before during a couple of Prefect meetings he had attended the previous two years but that had simply been to say hello and to tell him that she had had no problems outside of a few students in broom closets.

They reached a large Griffin standing in an alcove.

"Acid Pop," said Dumbledore. The griffin moved to reveal a spiral staircase revolving slowly upwards like an escalator.

Lily had to hold in a gasp as they entered the Headmaster's Office. The walls were lined with bookshelves and all around the room there were stools with spindly silver instruments on them. Sitting on a perch behind Dumbledore's desk was the most beautiful bird Lily had ever seen.

"Is…is that a phoenix?" Lily asked unable to keep her amazement out of her voice.

Dumbledore smiled, "Yes, this is Fawkes."

"He's beautiful," Lily said with more than a hint of awe in her voice.

Lily noticed that James, though clearly impressed, did not seem as in awe of the office as she was. Well, he's probably been in here before, she reasoned with herself. With all the trouble he and his friends get in.

"Please sit down," Dumbledore requested pointing to two chairs in front of his desk. Lily and James sat down and looked expectantly at Dumbledore.

"Now, first let me congratulate you both once again on becoming Head Boy and Girl."

"Thank you, sir" they both replied.

"You're both welcome. Now I chose you because I feel you both hold qualities that will make you excellent Heads and that you can work well together," Dumbledore put extra emphasis on this last part. "I know that the two of you haven't always seen eye to eye, but I feel you are the best people for the job. You are top students and excellent leaders. I know that you will both perform admirably."

"Yes, sir, we will," James said making it clear that he meant it.

Dumbledore smiled at him. "Your duties as you know will include organizing the Prefects patrol schedules, in addition to patrolling together."

He paused and Lily and James nodded.

"Now in addition to our regular activities I have decided that, with everything that's been going on outside our walls, the students could use a morale booster this year. So I have decided that instead of the usual Halloween feast this year we will have a Halloween Ball, seeing as Halloween is on a Saturday this year. I would like you to help Professor McGonagall and I come up with ideas for things such as music and refreshments as you have a much better idea about what the students would want."

Both Lily and James nodded again.

"Well I think that is everything of importance. Oh, wait I forgot. On the third floor behind the portrait of the wizard with the funny striped beard is the Head's Common Room that you may use for meetings and such, the password is phoenix. Also, Mr. Potter I would like a word with you before you return to your dormitory," Dumbledore said.

"Um, ok," James said sounding slightly nervous.

"Do you want me to wait for you?" Lily asked quietly, much to James surprise.

James shrugged, "You don't have to if you don't want to, I'm sure you must be tired."

Lily nodded and headed out the door.

Dumbledore turned back to James looking very serious, though not unfriendly. "Do you have anything you'd like to ask me?" Dumbledore asked him knowingly.

James didn't have time to fathom how Dumbledore knew this before he found the question coming out, "Why did you make me Head Boy? It's not that I don't want…I'm honored...It's just…"

Dumbledore smiled at him. "Are you going to abuse your position or are you going to try and do the best job you possibly can?" Dumbledore asked with a smile.

"I would never abuse my position," James responded slightly indignant. "Sorry, Sir, I didn't mean to be rude," he added realizing that his response hadn't sounded very polite.

Much to James's surprise Dumbledore smiled.

"What?" he asked confused and also slightly annoyed.

"Well, you've just answered your own question," Dumbledore smiled, "I knew that given some responsibility that you would rise to the challenge and I know that you will perform your duties as Head Boy admirably."

"Well, if you knew I would rise to the challenge why didn't you make me a Prefect?" James asked slightly confused.

Clearly Dumbledore knew that if he made James Head Boy that James would "straighten up" a bit, so why not make him a Prefect. Not that he would want to have taken the privilege away from Remus.

"If I had made you a Prefect in your fifth year would you have risen to the occasion, like you are now?" Dumbledore asked looking at James with the same piercing stare he used after the "Snape Incident" that made James feel like Dumbledore was looking right through him.

James thought about this for a moment.

"No, I wouldn't have," James replied honestly. "I would have used my position for my own personal gain and to keep people I didn't like as miserable as possible."

Dumbledore nodded.

"You have grown up quite a lot since then. You should be very proud of yourself," said Dumbledore smiling.

"Thank you, sir," James replied sheepishly, trying unsuccessfully not to blush.

"I'm sure you will do admirably. Now it is getting late and I'm sure you and Miss Evans want to be well rested for classes tomorrow, so off you go."

James nodded feeling slightly confused. Lily was probably already back in the dormitories getting ready for bed, he thought. It was therefore quite a shock when he opened the door to Dumbledore's office to see Lily sitting at the top of the stairs waiting for him.

"You didn't have to wait for me," James said, unable to hide a slight hint of happiness that she had done so none the less. "You must be tired and I know you want to be well rested for classes tomorrow."

Lily smiled at him, "I figured it would be nice of me to wait for you," she replied simply.

Stunned all James could think of to say was, "Thanks."

"Your welcome. Now let's get going, I'm exhausted.