James followed McGonagall and Lily followed them too. They came inside the Headmaster's office, past the Gargoyle.

"Professor McGonagall…." Albus Dumbledore smiled, "What seems to be the……"

His smile disappeared as he saw James and Lily follow them.

"Sit down."

James obeyed without an objection.

"Mr. Potter was in a riot with……." McGonagall started to say. She didn't need to complete the sentence, Dumbledore already knew why she had brought James here, Severus Snape had just returned to school.

"She had to go." James said, quietly, looking at his hands. "I want her gone, Professor. Tell her to leave."

"You can't tell me to leave, Potter." She scoffed, "I am the head girl."

James didn't even look at her,

"I am not saying anything with anyone else here. She is not Remus or Sirius." James looked from McGonagall to Dumbledore. "I want her gone."

His eyes said it all. He wasn't asking…..he was telling the headmistress and the headmaster that he wanted the room empty. Lily almost gasped. She wanted to laugh at his stupidity. Here, she saw another man…..a stupid yet an assertive man.

"Now." James added, assertively.

"How stupid are you, Potter?" Lily laughed at him, "You can't be……."

"Leave us, Ms. Evans." Professor Dumbledore told him.

She was dumbfounded.

"But….."

"You heard the headmaster." McGonagall told her. "Leave us now."

Lily expected James to snigger at her but he didn't look at her. She left fuming…..

"He is a death eater!" James said, "I saw him…He is the one who killed her."

Dumbledore didn't look shocked.

"How could you let him in the school?" He shouted at the headmaster. "He killed my eleven year old sister."

James kept shouting for another twenty minutes and finally sat down in front of Dumbledore as they listened to him quietly.

"I can't throw Mr. Snape out of the school." He told him. "I think….he can change here. And, I might be able to keep an eye on him."

James pursed his lips and refused to say anything.

"You, in the meantime, can help our cause." He handed out a parchment to him, "Join the Order of the Phoenix and help us."

"Gladly." James quickly signed his name on the paper.

"You should now keep out of Mr. Snape's way," McGonagall said, "And, try not to kill him on your way out."

"Oh, he is not dying that easily." James grimaced, "I will keep him alive even if tries to kill himself."

James Potter walked out of the room and wrinkles increased on McGonagall's face. She didn't want to know what would happen to the sweet boy she had known for years.

Lily Evans went back to her friends and complained tirelessly of the 'Potter Privilege' that made James think he was so better than everybody. Mary and Alice tried to argue otherwise but Lily didn't let them get a word in. After a few hours, Lily was left alone in her rooms when her friends went to catch on their homework. Lily tried to concentrate on her work but she was still very angry at the headmaster and headmistress for kicking her, the head girl, out of the office.

James came inside the common room several hours after the curfew. Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black followed him.

"Hold it." She knew she couldn't say anything to Potter but them….she had some power over them. "You two are late. What are two doing out of bed?"

"Relax, girl." Sirius waved his hand, "We have a pass from the Headboy."

He grinned, waving his pass that was signed by James.

"Yeah…you are abusing your power." Lily snapped at him.

"I sure am." James grinned widely.

He wasn't going to tell her about Remus Lupin's "furry little problem" as Sirius used to call it.

"You haven't changed a bit, have you?" She shook her head, "You are still the obnoxious little boy that you were six years ago, no wonder your family wants to get away from you."

The grin was wiped off James's face immediately, his face was pale and drained and Sirius spotted the tears in his eyes before he expertly used the spell to remove the water from his eyes without even saying a word. He had gotten used to the spell.

"I am going to bed." He said, turning towards his friends. "Sirius…..we have to be at practice at six am tomorrow. I am picking the team." Sirius nodded,

"Great…I'll be there." Sirius and Peter went to their rooms.

He started walking to his room when she didn't know what had just happened.

"I hate you." Lily shook her hands angrily.

"Oh, don't you think I know that?" James replied softly. "Don't you think I don't see the look in your eyes when you look at me?"

Lily stopped.

"You think I can't literally feel the hate from here." He shook his head softly, "You can hate me all you want, Lily. You think whatever you want about me. But, I have never hated you. I am not trying to hurt you and I don't think I ever can."