Returning to Hogwarts was an almost surreal experience for Lily. Once she was back at the castle she knew that she would have to separate herself from James. After the ball she spent every night in his bed, even when he went away with Sirius and Peter to Remus. She couldn't help but feel worried knowing that it would be three humans against a werewolf.

On the train she dodged prefect duty once more and sat in the compartment with the Marauders. It wasn't long before Alice, Marlene and Frank joined them. "I take it you survived Christmas?" Alice questioned when she saw her friend tucked tightly next to James.

"Thank you," was all she said in reply.

"What are you talking about?"

Lily pulled on the leather cord around her neck to reveal the small vial with the swirling blue liquid. Alice just gave her a huge smile, as Frank looked at Lily in confusion as she tucked it inside her sweater.

The train ride was rather uneventful and it wasn't long before everyone fell asleep. Well, almost everyone, James and Sirius could not seem to sleep and spent the entire train ride chattering about Quidditch plans, even waking up Peter to go over some new plays.

When they arrived at Hogwarts, Lily felt...conflicted. It wasn't like at the beginning of the year, it was much different now. She had James now and as much as Nicolette's words still echoed in the back of her mind, but after the rest of the Holiday she couldn't let anyone get to her.

Once classes started them Lily attacked them with a renewed vigor, but she didn't let them dominate her life. Whenever she didn't have Prefect duties and James didn't have Quidditch they spent the time together. If he had practice she spent the time with Alice, Marlene and Athena.

As Winter faded into Spring, Hogwarts found itself thrown into an awkward state. The first years weren't entirely clueless but the seventh years did not even want to be enrolled anymore and the sixth years were restless. Lily found herself religiously reading the Daily Prophet and any newspaper she could get her hands on. Every time she got an owl delivered from the Muggle Post Office she breathed a sigh of relief. As much as she argued with her sister she did not want her or any of her other family dead. After what happened on Christmas that seemed to be an all too real reality.

It was April when Lily was at her desk penning a letter to her Cousin Amanda with a sugar coated and politically corrected version of the happenings at Hogwarts, careful not to break her cover as a Holmstrom Academy delinquent.

"Lil, you need to hurry if you want to wish your boy toy good luck!" Marlene shouted.

"Just a second," she yelled back, a smile playing at her lips. If you told her a year ago that James Potter was her boyfriend she wouldn't believe it. "Potter will have to wait another minute."

"Lily, don't tease the poor boy," Alice said, walking over to her roommate staring at her in the mirror. They were in matching Gryffindor shirts, hair pulled back with curled gold ribbons.

"Before you go you need lipstick, I made sure they were your colors." Marlene handed each a tube of lipstick, they humored her by applying it smacking their lips together. "Gryffindor is going to rip those Badgers to shreds!" Marlene said.

"Let's go," Lily rolled her eyes not believing that it was the final Quidditch game of the year. Quickly the girls descended the steps, exited the Common Room and hurried down to the pitch. "Save us seats," she told Marlene as she grabbed Alice by the wrist. The two marched their way to the dressing room knocking on the door. From behind they heard shouts, stomping and clapping. Once it settled down they resumed their pounding on the door. It popped open to see a second year. "We're Potter and Longbottom's good luck charm," she said. "If you don't let us in you're going to have a very unhappy Captain."

He stepped aside and Alice laughed. James was quickly spotted standing next to Sirius who was bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Hey, I heard that the Captain needs a bit of Felix Felicis."

"Luck potions are banned," James said as he stepped forward.

"Oh, darn it." Lily kissed him on the side of his face. "It's magical, won't come off." She kissed him straight on the mouth, placing her hands on either side of his face to pull him closer. James braced himself on her hips, suprised by this very public display of affection that she normally shied away from. Granted, the guys on the Quidditch team weren't really a crowd but people only saw this on accident. Occasionally they kissed in front of the Marauders or her roommates, but usually it was just them with their arms around each other.

"Captain," one of the boys said. "We need to go out."

"One minute," he replied, in between a kiss from Lily.

"I better go, we can finish later," Lily said as she snuck a glance at Alice and Frank. She had given him a very chaste kiss on the lips before a tight embrace, no they were standing an arms length away, both with smiles beaming. Eventually that would become her and James, but right now they were still in the experimental stage of the relationship and could not get enough of each other. "You will win, I can feel it."

"I know," he said kissing her once more. "I'll be looking for you in the stands."

"Don't, keep your head in the game."

"Too late…" He leaned down once more, but there were several protests from team members. Sirius grabbed Lily and Alice, pulling them out, giving them a smirk and a wink before shutting the door. In the stands the students waited eagerly for the game to start. It seemed far too long before both teams appeared seemingly out of nowhere and flew a lap around the Pitch. Gryffindor was especially excited and started screaming once they saw those red and gold robes.

Hufflepuff had made a huge comeback from last year's losing streak, but they still were no match against the Gryffindors. James being made captain as a sixth year was clearly a brilliant move on the part of last year's captain. His plays were ingenious and utilized the skill set of every player. The Hufflepuff team didn't know what hit them most of the time and they severely underestimated the young Seeker.

Lily held her breath as she watched James dive, swerve and race away from the other team, launching the Quaffle towards the goals at every chance. In fact she was so busy screaming her lungs out as the Chasers were doing a very odd manuever, then the next thing she knew there was a shout of pure glee…

"Quinn has the snitch...GRYFFINDOR HAS WON THE CUP!"

Lily's face broke into a smile as her friends hugged her tightly, screaming. "Go down there!" Marlene urged, shoving the redhead forward. Soon enough what seemed to be the entire House stormed the pitch.

Lily fought her way through the crowd to James. He had fought hard, that was clearly illustrated by the dripping sweat, wilder hair than usual and dirt smudges on his face from a nasty spill he took. "Told you I'd win." He let his broom drop to the ground as he pulled her in for a kiss.

"Never doubted it for a moment," she replied letting out a laugh as she wrapped her arms around him. James punched at the air while his teammates screamed, only Lily kept him tethered to the ground.

Soon enough they were forced to disperse, ordered to go to the Common Room to carry on the celebration. There were various bottles of all sorts of drinks, snacks and sweets covering every surface of the room. One of the seventh years stole the ancient phonograph to play the Twisted Sisters albums a few of the fourth kept in their trunks.

It wasn't long before the Common Room was transferred into a party. James coaxed Lily onto the makeshift dance floor that was raised off the ground by transfigured coffee tables. "We aren't even dancing!" she shouted.

"That's the point," he whispered into her ear, using one arm to pull her closer. "My room is going to be empty for a while."

"I'm getting a drink." She jumped off the dance floor heading to where Sirius stood. He immediately thrust a cup into her hand. "What's in this?"

"Drink up my lovely Lily."

She raised it to her lips, taking a tentative slip. "I should give you detention for having alcohol, but this is good." She passed him a smile. "Try to be more secretive, though." Lily was about to turn around when someone bumped into drenching her shirt with the drink.

"I think you've had enough," James said, coming up beside Lily.

"It was an accident, I need to go change."
"I have a t-shirt in my room." He reached for her hand and before she could protest he was already pulling her toward the stairs. They barely made it to the top before Lily leaned against a wall as James pressed his lips to hers. The pair was like that for several minutes, Lily's hands combing through his hair as James' hands wandered up her shirt.

"Can I get that shirt?"

"Tease," he muttered, kissing her again.

"I'm trying to get you in your room," she replied, her hands flat against his head, gently pushing him forward. Lily led him to the sixth year boys dorm, shutting the door after him. Once they were alone she stripped off her shirt and let out a laugh as he pulled her close. "I love you."

"I know you do." His hands wandered lower as he kissed her. With his hands securing her hips, she hopped up to wrap her legs around his waist. "Merlin, Lil."

"Do you love me?"

"Do you really have to ask?" he walked over to his bed, falling backwards onto it as Lily let out a squeal of surprise. "So…"

"We can't do this, not now," Lily said, rolling off of James. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he answered as she laid on his side to face her.

"It's just-"

"You don't want to be remembered as the pregnant Prefect," James muttered as he sat up. "I understand." Getting off the bed he walked over to his trunk and pulled out a t-shirt. "Let's stay here for a bit."

Lily slipped the shirt over her head as she watched him dig a bit further down in his trunk before pulling out a shiny silver flask. "We can have our own party," she said.

"Exactly." He opened it and took a swig before passing it to her. James couldn't believe the girl in front of him. His entire life Lily had always been little Miss Innocent. Everybody loved her-from the teachers to the students- she was brilliant, beautiful and kind. With him Lily seemed real, she still was stunning, but she was flirty and a bit reckless.

They were laying side by side on the bed, propped up on pillows, when there was banging on the door. "Come on Captain, we need you down there," a slurred voice called out.

"You better go."

James crawled off the bed and out the door. She heard them stumble out before she got to her feet. She heard a door shut then she saw Alice holding herself as she walked down the hall. "What's wrong?" Lily called out, running out of her friend. "We can talk in here." She gestured to the boys dorm as she looked over her friend. She sat on the bed holding back tears as she hugged herself. "You didn't break up with Frank, did you?"

"No, of course not." She shook her head. "He asked me to marry him?"

"What?" Lily asked as sat down beside her. "Really?"

"He wants to wait until next summer to get married, by then he'll be graduated."

"Graduated?"

"He got in Lily," Alice said. "He got into the Auror academy." She bit her lip struggling to hold back tears.

"You'll have a few months before you both start."

"No, they changed the dates, the academy starts a week after he graduates." Alices let out a choked sob and hugged her friend. "I'm so happy for him…"

"It is hard to get in, but it's not a surprise. You and Frank have talked about becomign Aurors for years."

"It's different now. I don't want forever with him, but I want to marry him someday Lily. I want him to be there when I graduate, I want him to reach his twentieth birthday!" she shouted. "Is that so much to ask?"

"No," Lily replied as she rubbed circles on her tearful friends back. "Have you talked to Frank about this?"

"I can't let him know I have doubts. He needs my support."

"Alice, you can't hide things from him," Lily said. "And I know it's hard for you, but Frank is determined to help with the war effort." Anyway possible, she thought as she recalled him speaking about the Order of the Phoenix. Even if he hadn't got into the Auror program, Frank would be far from safe. At least if he went to the Academy he would get the proper training.

"I know, but I'm scared."

"Me too," Lily whispered as her friend cried on her shoulder. She resisted the urge to do the same. But crying about her parents wouldn't bring them back. Crying for those people Voldemort killed on Christmas would not have protected them from sharpenal. No, she knew that when push came to shove she would do anything to stop him.