A/N: Ello! I was just going to try writing something with multiple chapters and this is what I came up with. Please tell me if you like it or feel that something needs to be improved. Enjoy :)

"Why is it so hard for you to understand that I don't want to go out with you?" Lily shouted defiantly, swinging her bag over her shoulder and storming out of the compartment, where the Marauders looked at her with bemused expressions and her friends rolled their eyes.

It was only the first hour since the sixth years had reunited for the upcoming year at Hogwarts and James Potter had already managed to get on her last nerve. And that was saying something; Lily liked to think she was fairly patient and understanding with people. She managed to get on just fine with the rest of the Marauders. Remus was a friend, Sirius was fun to have a laugh with every now and then and Peter was easy to talk to. But Potter? No. He just had to make it difficult for everyone to ever talk to him.

After walking past a few compartments, Lily rethought her decision to storm out. Sure, it certainly got the point across to Marauders, but now Lily was left outside the cosy space she and her friends had chosen to settle into a mere half an hour ago. It was just like Potter to make her life more difficult; it was all going to get so much easier for her when they finally parted ways at graduation. This was an absolute certainty.

"Lil!"

Lily turned back and caught sight of a face peeping out of one of the compartments that she had just gone past. The girl had short dark hair and a round smiley face, and was staring at Lily with her eyebrows raised.

"Hey Alice," Lily sighed resignedly and walked back towards Alice, who beckoned her into the compartment. Frank was already sitting inside and Lily guessed that the two had been trying to spend time together without the rest of their friends. Whoops.

"So what's happened that you're not with Dorcas and Marlene?"

Frank snorted as Alice sat down next to him after walking in behind Lily.

"Is it not obvious Ali?" He gestured to Lily, "Red in the face, narrowed brows and tousled hair? Looks like someone has reunited with James,"

Alice turned to roll her eyes at him before turning to look at Lily, who hmphed and crossed her arms, turning to stare out the window.

Frank shook his head and grinned and Alice swatted him. They didn't need to ask any further questions as this conversation had happened a million times before. No one could understand the way James and Lily acted with each other, and they had given up trying.

As Frank and Alice resumed their quiet conversation, Lily watched the countryside rush by. She didn't want to waste any more thoughts on James Potter, but he seemed to be all that was taking up her head ever since last year. He had acted atrociously when Sev called her a mudblood, and Lily had been absolutely certain that she could and would never forgive him for the past he played in the downfall of that friendship. It had been only a week later when he started to prove her wrong. Not only had he left her alone for a while (that was the bare minimum) but he had also tried to behave better, and there had been a noticeable shift. Now Lily just thought she could but wouldn't ever forgive him.

Only a few minutes later, Dorcas Meadowes came in through the door.

"Hiya Lily," she said grinning affectionately at one of her best friends, "and hello Fralice!" She carried on, flopping down onto the spot beside Lily.

Both Frank and Alice (or Fralice) offered a friendly greeting, but Lily turned even further away - so much so that she was barely even looking out the window but more looking at the seat.

Dorcas hesitated for a moment but wasn't perturbed.

"Oh come on Lil, why are you angry with me? I didn't transfigure your book into a lily in a lame attempt to get your attention!"

Frank and Alice raised their eyebrows. Even they knew not to get in between Lily and a good book.

"Well you didn't stop him."

Dorcas hesitated another moment before reaching into her pocket.

"I got you some popping candy chocolate" she said, wafting it gently near Lily with an evil smile on her face.

Poor Lily. She could never resist the temptations of popping candy chocolate. It was both sweet and fun. Who doesn't enjoy that popping sensation?

"Fine," she sighed and turned back, gently taking the chocolate bar.

"So," Lily continued, brightening considerably, "Do finish telling me about your summer before we were so rudely interrupted,"

That was how the four spent the rest of the train ride: swapping stories and sharing Lily's chocolate. They didn't expect Marlene to join them. After she had made the Gryffindor Quidditch team in their third year, she had become much closer to James and Sirius. Lily did not understand this but wasn't going to get angry with Marlene just because she spent some of her time in company that Lily didn't appreciate. That sounded too much like someone else Lily knew. Someone Lily didn't want to think about.

As they got off the Hogwarts express a few hours later, she spotted the Marauders in the distance. James was the tallest and he stood with an arm slung over Sirius' shoulder, talking animatedly with the other Marauders. His hair was unruly and out of place like usual and an arrogant grin covered most of his face. Lily could barely even stand the sight. Remus, Sirius and Peter seemed able to cope though, as they stood laughing together, all of them looking as if they didn't have a care in the world. She looked closely, trying to see if Marlene was with them. Suddenly Lily felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Ello Lily, long time no see,"

Lily smiled at the tall blonde girl at her side. Marlene and Lily had met when they were both sorted into Gryffindor House on the first day and had been fast friends ever since. Marlene's confident and sarcastic personality nicely complimented Lily's fun-loving and gentle one (and a bit stubborn but she would never admit that- it comes with the stubborn territory) They followed Dorcas, Frank and Alice towards the carriages, excitedly chattering and anticipating the festivities of the night.

Early the next morning, the atmosphere was much cloudier.

"Remind me again," Marlene moaned into her arms at breakfast, "Why I was so excited to come back here?"

"Adam McKinnon" Lily muttered to Dorcas, who laughed mischievously.

The boy to whom they were referring to was sat further along the table, eating with the other seventh year Gryffindors. He was a tall sandy haired boy that was fairly shy, relative to the boys in their year. Marlene had had a crush ever since they met at her first Quidditch practice. Of course, she would never admit that. Marlene Mistle had a reputation to uphold.

"What was that, Lily?" She said as she looked up to glare at her.

"Nothing," Lily said in a sing song voice as she glanced towards Adam and raised her eyebrows. Dorcas winked and made a love heart out of her hands.

Marlene groaned and rested her head in her arms again.

"It is way too early to be dealing with you two nitwits,"

This was when Sirius and Remus suddenly appeared at her side - Sirius looking most put out.

"We hadn't even said anything yet!" He exclaimed, looking frustratedly at Remus who was sitting down next to Lily. Sirius sat down opposite him, next to Dorcas rather than Marlene.

"Not you," Dorcas soothed patting his hand.

"Oh good, I was hoping not to have already got on Mistle's bad side,"

Remus smiled at Lily.

"Hullo Lily, hope you had a good summer,"

"I did," she said, smiling sincerely back, before her face turned to a look of disgust as Sirius started to pile his plate high, "Can you really eat all that?"

"Yes Evans, it is one of my many many talents," he pronounced confidently, "I could show you more if you like," he whispered as a side note.

"Talent, Padfoot, talent" retorted the voice of James Potter. Sirius grinned.

Lily inwardly sighed and glanced behind her, making eye contact with James. He ran a hand through his hair as he looked at her, before sitting down on Remus' other side.

"Where's Peter?" Dorcas questioned.

"I couldn't get him out of bed and, trust me, I tried all of our usual methods. He's as attached to his bed as Sirius is to his food, and that's no small feat,"

Remus and Sirius both nodded seriously.

"What's up with Marlene?" James said, looking at the blonde mass of hair resting on the table.

"Similar issue to Peter," Dorcas answered.

All of them then ate in silence as, without the usual chatter between Marlene and the Marauders, there wasn't much to talk about. Eating together like this wasn't really a usual occurrence. Everyone knew that James and Lily were most likely to get along in the beginning of the year - before they had a chance to drive each other up the wall. So, every year, they attempted to hang out together before having to go their separate ways.

The first lesson the sixth year Gryffindors had that day was Transfiguration with Professor McGonnagall and the Slytherins - a perfect opportunity for the Marauders to goof off.

As McGonnagall talked, the Marauders whispered in the back of the class.

"So boys, now's the time to place your bets on how long it will take Snivellus to shower," Sirius said casually, "I'm betting at least a month,"

James snorted.

"Not bloody likely. Two at least."

Remus gave them his prefect glance before betting a fortnight. Peter tried to be generous and only betted a week.

"If you win this bet, Wormy, then my mother is actually a muggle working to bring the Wizarding World down from the inside," Sirius exclaimed.

At this slightly louder outburst, Marlene turned around from her seat in front of the boys.

"We know you four are all weirdly good at Transfiguration," she hissed, "but some of us actually need this lesson time so would you kindly shut the hell up,"

The Marauders all looked at each other as she turned back around and then shrugged.

"Jeez," Sirius whispered, "the girls in our year are all so intense. Though I bet Prongs would like one of them to get intense with him," he added suggestively.

James blushed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Sorry Prongs, but that seems like a totally outlandish possibility,"

"Like you'd be any better at chasing girls, Moony!"

"Er..actually I would, mate. I bet even Wormy would be,"

"Don't drag me into this,"

"Fine, then even Padfoot would be,"

"Since when has Padfoot been worse at it than Wormtail?"

"Since I came out you dimwit!"

"Doesn't mean you lost the skills!"

"BOYS!"

They all glanced up guiltily to see McGonagall and the rest of the class staring at them. The Slytherins were all somehow managing to look down their noses at the boys, though it was a wonder that Snape could even see them behind his.

"What is so fascinating that you must discuss it in my class?"

Sirius' face immediately lit up at the chance to have a chat with Minnie.

"Well Professor, we were all just noticing that your hair looks remarkably different than when we last saw it and we were wondering what you had done?"

James chuckled.

"Sirius wants to try and recreate it on his own hair, Minnie,"

McGonagall's lips tightened as she tired to keep her temper. Gosh, she had missed these boys.

"I will ignore that excuse and, seeing as it is the first day of classes, give you four a second chance. Don't give me a reason to regret that,"

The Marauders liked McGonagall enough to respect this and shut up for the rest of the lesson. It was helpfully spent trying to transfigure Remus' parchment into a ribbon for James' hair. Sirius had betted that James could never pull it off and James disagreed.

Coming out of Transfiguration, Lily caught up to James.

"Must you antagonise McGonagall so?"

"Sirius was doing it too!" James retorted indignantly.

"And because he does it that means you should do it too?"

"Well," James chucked, tousling his hair with his hand, "that's kind of what the Marauders is about,"

Lily rolled her eyes. Before shaking her head at him as she answered.

"Why do you insist on being so immature?"

James couldn't take too many hits to the ego.

"Immature huh? Sorry that some of us are able to have some fun, Evans,"

Her cheeks reddened.

"I am able to have plenty of fun thank you Potter. That's not for you to judge seeing as you barely even know me!"

"I could say the same to you!"

Their friends watched as the squabble broke out and sighed. They were in for a long year.