Everybody! Here is a short chapter for my lovely readers...

Chapter 49:

The marauders were forced to spend the next week in the hospital wing. Remus visited every day. Alice and Frank both made appearances, even Marlene, Mary and Kate had been into see the boys. The only Gryffindor first year who hadn't been at their bedside was Lily Evans, as James kept reminding them. Emmilene was stuck in the hospital wing with them for the whole week. She had thanked the boys for saving her life. James had thought that she'd been overreacting slightly but she had kissed him on the cheek, "Friends?" Soon the Marauders and Emmie were enjoying themselves immensely not that Madam Pomfrey was very impressed.

"Madam Pomfrey, why the hell can't I go back to the common room now?" James asked.

"Because I say so," Madam Pomfrey frowned.

"Sucks!" James muttered.

Remus had brought the boys revision to do and James couldn't think of anything better to do so he quickly got stuck into his revision. By the time he was allowed out of the hospital wing James had covered every subject. He returned to a common room full of busy students revising for their exams. James merely sat by the fire with Sirius laughing. Peter was still studying – he wasn't quite as apt at academics as the other marauders. Remus joined his friends by the fire. "I've missed you guys."

"Ah, sawks. We've missed you too mate." Sirius laughed gently.

James looked around the room at his fellow students. He could see Evans sitting at a table far away from the other students. The only other students who looked as stressed as her were the OWL and NEWT students. James laughed. He'd never seen her hair so messy. He stood up and walked over to her, sitting in the chair opposite her.

"What the hell do you want, Potter?" she barked.

"Just wondering how your revision is going?" he asked.

"Fine! Now go away," she replied without looking at him.

"Evans, can I just say…" James began.

"What?" Lily barked.

"Er… never mind." James said standing up and walking away, "good luck in the exams. Not that you need it. You're ridiculously intelligent. You'll get straight Os, I just know it."

As the exams drew closer, several students began to panic. The ravenclaws had taken to practically living in the library. The hufflepuffs were having revision sessions in empty classrooms. No one really knew what the Slytherins were doing although Snape had taken the time to study with Lily in the grounds. The Gryffindors were the most relaxed. Only Lily seemed to panic.

On the morning of their first exam, Lily looked like she was about to throw up. The Gryffindor first years all sat together around the table in the Great Hall. Sirius was stuffing his face like usual. James was sat quietly contemplating everything he had revised in the hospital wing. Peter was shaking with nerves and Remus was reading his potions textbook. The girls just sat talking about some new couple that had formed in the year above. Lily didn't join in in her friends' conversation. "Oh merlin. I'm going to fail. I'm going to fail. Oh crap, I'm going to fail."

James turned toward towards the panicking girl and grabbed her arms, "calm down! Lily Evans, it's potions. It's one of your best subjects and you are the top of the class. You are going to get an outstanding. I believe in you!" he said before letting go of her. The Gryffindors began to make their way towards the potions classroom. Professor Slughorn's door was open so they made their way in quietly. "Welcome to your examination everybody. Now for your exam you will produce a forgetfulness potion from memory. Yes, that's right. No textbooks." Slughorn smiled. "You may begin."

Lily began scribbling on a piece of parchment everything she could remember about the forgetfulness potion. James went to the store room to collect the ingredients he thought he needed. Harry watched from the back of the classroom as the first years began to prepare their potions. Snape was muttering under his breath something about Lethe River Water and mistletoe berries.

Lily began to follow the instructions she had made for herself. "Add two drops of Lethe River Water to your cauldron and gently heat for twenty seconds." Sirius was having slightly more trouble remembering the steps. He kept scratching his head but he remembered each step in the end. James took his time concerned that he might screw it up somehow. He kept running a nervous hand through his hair.

Lily somehow was the calmest person in the room. She had nearly completed her potion. She just had to crush the mortar into a medium-fine powder, and add two pinches of the crushed mixture into the cauldron before stirring it five times and waving her wand. When she put down her things and lifted her hand, she was the first person who had finished. Lily waited outside for her friends to finish their potions.

Soon all the first year Gryffindors were sitting in the Great Hall eating their lunch; their potions exams were no longer on their minds as they began to think about their afternoon charms exam. Lily had calmed down quite a lot and felt pretty excited about the charms exam. It was her best subject after all.

It was only a quick one, but I really hope you like it. :)

Preview of what's to come...

The other exams...