A/N: Hope you like it...its my first fic...please R/R

Lily Potter gently kissed the two month old Harry. His little tufts of jet black hair lay ruffled, and Harry blinked once or twice showing his brilliant green eyes. Lily smiled and carried the infant into her and James’ room.

James was lying on the bed, his glasses on, his face buried behind a book.

“James Potter, actually reading a book?” Lily asked incredulously.

“Hey to you, too,” James replied looking up. “I was reading about your powers.”

Lily sighed. Even James was losing his playful nature. His face was worn from stress with the threat of Voldemort growing stronger every waking second. She cocked her head, letting her fiery red hair fall over her face.

“Lily…” James said softly getting up, gently stroking her cheek. He gave her a soft, yet long kiss and smiled.

Lily felt his delicate and miraculous lips touch hers and she melted into his mouth. She couldn’t believe it…they were married and he still had the same effect on her as he had in their school years.

He broke away grinning. “Hmmm, Lily, I always wondered why they named you Lily; it’s ironic that the heart of your seer power comes from the same delicate flower as your name,” James pondered.

“Don’t know guess it was fate,” Lily replied, bouncing baby Harry gently.

“Come on, Harry, come to Daddy,” James said sweetly, softly picking up the small infant. Harry made a small noise of acknowledgment and snuggled deep into James’s chest.

Somewhere, a door creaked open, and both James' and Lily's heads snapped toward the hallway.

James handed the sleeping Harry to Lily and went to take a look.

Lily silently treaded after him, hiding Harry from sight inside her robes. She watched as a tall man with short silver-blonde hair walked in holding a cane.

"Hello...Malfoy," James said curtly.

"Move out of our way, Potter...or your dear wife and little baby won't live to see another day,” he said coldly. “I’m here for one thing and one thing only. Don’t defy the Dark Lord again, he won’t like it.”

“And what exactly are you looking for, Malfoy?” James inquired, ignoring his first comment.

“That,” Malfoy replied, pointing to the pendant around Lily's neck.

Lily held her breath and held onto the pendant. It was amethyst crystal, sculptured into a Lily, and surrounded by emeralds sculpted into leaves. It was small enough to fit in the hand, and was around Lily’s neck on a golden chain. James had given it to her in her seventh year.

“Over my dead body,” James replied in a warning voice.

“Then so be it,” Malfoy replied. He shot a spell at James that made a strange whistling spell, the very same sound that marked the beginning of their last year at Hogwarts.

---

The train whistle echoed and Lily was bidding her mother and father farewell.

“Goodbye, Mom; bye, Dad,” Lily said, smiling happily.

“Goodbye, sweetheart,” her dad replied softly.

“See you at Christmas, honey,” her Mom said, kissing her daughter on the forehead.

“Bye, Petunia,” Lily said coldly.

“Goodbye,” Petunia retorted, not bothering to address her sister's name.

Lily needed to hurry, she didn’t want…

“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Evans,” James said suavely, strolling up to them with jet black hair a mess and his hazel eyes gleaming with untamed mischief.

“Hello…James, right?” Lily’s father said, warmly grasping James’ hand, who merely nodded at the question.

“Hello, James…Lily has said many things about you!" her mother said, looking at James fondly.

“What kind of things?” James asked innocently, looking at Lily and winking.

“She talks about how…” her mother started.

“Look at the time…it’s time for us to go.” Lily said quickly, pretending to look at her watch.

“Oh…okay,” her mother said, getting the gist that her daughter wanted her to stop.

“Goodbye, Lily,” Mr. and Mrs. Evans said, simultaneously waving as Lily went through the barrier.

Lily got on the train, thanking God that her mother hadn’t continued…then James would think she had some type of crush on him. Which she didn't of course, she already had a boyfriend…Aaron. While she was looking through the compartments, she finally found her friends, Elsie and May, sitting in a compartment together, and joined them.

“Hey, guys!” Lily exclaimed, grinning at her best friends.

“Hey Lily, guess what? I got…” Elsie started.

“Are you going to let me guess?” Lily asked, cutting her off.

“No, she isn’t,” May replied rolling her eyes at her friends.

“I got engaged to Allen!” Elsie replied, her face shining with joy.

Elsie was seventeen with golden curly hair, and a light and good hearted temper that matched her dazzling blue eyes. She was slim, but her face had a babyish look to it, giving it a slightly round appearance. She had been Lily’s best friend since Lily’s second year. Elsie was a pure-blood and her entire families were Aurors. Elsie was a smart female and very good at charms but being shy, she was humble about her true talent for magic.

“Hey Goldie Locks, would you mind if I told you I once dated him?” May asked innocently.

May was sixteen going on seventeen, with jet black hair. She had a fair temper, but if somebody did something to make her lose it, anything or anyone that stepped in her path would be yelled at, and then thrown at least a hundred feet backwards. She had deep brown eyes and was smaller than Elsie and Lily by a few inches. She, like Lily, had Muggle parents. She was very upfront about her abilities and had a knack for making the simplest spell hurt.

“You WHAT?” Elsie cried out.

“Yep, we made out hundreds of times, he’s not a bad kisser…but Sirius was much better,” May said.

“I had a crush on Sirius for a short time. And Sirius is so not a better kisser,” Elsie sniffed.

“If I remember rightly, you were one of the girls on Valentine’s Day in our second year who lined up to snog him for ten minutes, and then pay a galleon for every extra minute!” Lily mused, watching her friend go red.

“I remember she paid at least twenty… actually if I’m correct she paid exactly thirty-seven,” May said.

“It was thirty-six, and my crush on him is long gone,” Elsie said in a tone that said the conversation was closed.

“Well I’d love to see you two chat, but I have Head Girl Duty,” Lily said, getting up and moving out of the compartment.

“So, now that she’s gone, when do you think her and James will get together?” Elsie asked May.

“Well, first she has to see that Aaron is nothing special, but if I had to guess...she'll probably start to fall for him around the Christmas Holidays, and in spring they will go on their first official date,” May said, acting like an expert.

“Is that your “physic” powers?” Elsie replied dubiously, “You know, just because that old bat Trealwy or whatever her name is said you have… “the power of the seer” doesn’t mean it’s true.”

“I know she is a bit on the mentally challenged side, but my feelings and pure instincts are almost always right. That’s how I made my guess," May said indignantly.

It was true…May did have a talent for picking out what was going to happen. In her third year when they were watching Quidditch, she had a bad feeling a bludger would get out of control and hit either Elsie or Lily. Lily was wary and left, but Elsie didn’t believe her friend and ended up getting her nose broken.

“That’s what I’m afraid of. I think after the winter holidays she’ll begin to fall for him and then around Easter…well into spring they will go on a date.” Elsie replied.

“Was that your version of a vision?” May questioned.

“No…its feelings.” Elsie replied. And a bit of cheating, She thought.

James looked around to find the Marauders compartment. It wasn’t hard to find…there was a line of girls outside it. James had to push himself in, only to see Sirius snogging a fairly good looking blonde.

“Another snogging fest?” James asked.

“Yep,” Remus replied, his nose buried in a book. “That’s disgusting, just so you know.”

“Hey, don’t mess with me and I won’t mess with you,” Sirius replied, watching a particularly good looking girl with short black hair walk in.

“Hey, May,” Remus said not looking up.

“That was freaky,” James said, giving Remus a weird look.

“Hey, Remus,” May replied.

“Listen, I’d love to sit here all day drooling and watch Sirius snog every girls at Hogwarts, but I have Head Boy duties,” James said looking at Peter, who was eagerly waiting for more snogging to begin.

As soon as he was gone, May asked, “Want to help me with something?”

“Listen…if you want to get into my room at night I’ll tell you exactly how,” Sirius said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

May seemed to swell with anger, and she whipped out her wand. “Ugh…Sirius Black…you are the sickest male I have ever known.”

“Is that a yes or a no?” he replied, smirking at the look on her face.

May and Lily were about the only two girls in all of Hogwarts who hadn’t fallen for Sirius’s charm.

A purple beam shot out of her wand, hitting him in the head. Sirius’ eyes widened as he felt himself change in multiple ways.

“And you called me sick…changing…making…how…why…?” Sirius gasped angrily.

May twirled her wand and asked, “So…ready to do my bidding?”

A/N: Next chapter...May and Sirius plot to get James and Lily togethor so May can win the bet. Lily also is speaking to James for six sentences without throwing an insult at him. GASP Please R/R

Lily saw her husband leap out of the way as the spell hit a door, blowing it away. A dark blue beam shot out of James' wand in return.

Malfoy shouted something, and a green snake lunged in the way, taking the blast. It fell to the floor, before starting to wither away.

“This is the best you can do?” James asked, smiling. He shouted something and a huge lion emerged from his wand.

The lion had a golden mane and sharp pointed teeth. It roared, and Lily couldn’t help but smile…Only a true Gryffindor could produce a lion that big and strong.

“Hah…” Malfoy jutted his wand in a forward motion, and a huge snake, several feet thick and at least a hundred feet long, shot out of his wand.
It had two fangs the size of a broad sword. It lashed out at the lion. The lion moved quickly out of the way, and then, with its gigantic paw it smashed it’s fist into the snake’s head. A sickening thud was heard as the snake became green smoke.

“Can your lion take the killing curse?” Malfoy asked, sneering at James. Out of his wand shot a bolt of green light, and the lion instantly became red smoke.

“Malfoy…you will not win…we’ll defy the dark lord a million times, and even then we wouldn’t even consider giving him the pendant,” James replied. Not to mention you’re a bad dueler and my great, great, great Grandmother could beat you in a duel.”

Lily smiled…maybe the old James wasn’t truly gone. She felt something move, and looked down to see baby Harry shift to his side. She smiled and looked back up.

“Your self-centered, arrogant mind will kill you,” Malfoy said icily, reminding Lily of what she said when she had found out who the head boy was.

---

Lily walked into the compartment hoping to see Aaron, but instead seeing her worst nightmare staring out the window.

“What in the world are you doing here? Where’s Aaron? Don’t just sit there, tell me!” Lily cried out.

“You are so mean, talking to me, of all people like that; you know I’m the most lovable character out of the Marauders,” James said grinning.

“You truly are a freaking SELF-CENTERED, ARROGANT, GIT!” Lily shouted furiously.

“I see you’re taking this well,” James replied, putting his feet up on the table in front of him.

“How…what…why…Dumbledore…why…crazy…Aaron…why?” Lily babbled.

“How-Dumbledore assigned me this post, what- I’m head boy, why- no idea, Dumbledore-yes, he must be crazy, why-once again, no clue, crazy- yes, Dumbledore is crazy, Aaron was not assigned Head Boy, why-no idea,” James said calmly.

“Oh can you teach me how to babble like you’re clueless, when the answer is right in front of you?” he added.

Lily shot him a shut-up-before-I-throttle-you glare.

Lily couldn’t believe it, why in the world would Dumbledore put…put him as head boy?!

This is completely crazy, she thought.

Okay Lily, its just one more year, you can get through one more year…no you can’t! She closed her eyes then thought of something else.

Aaron...I can make sure Aaron’s around me, so James won't be on my back all the time…I hope he proposes...not only will I be happy, but then James won't talk to me. She smiled to herself, as she sat staring out the window.

James looked at Lily, steadily watching her face expression change from 'I can do this', to, 'I’m not going to make it', to, 'I know what to do'.

I’m glad Dumbledore put me as head boy, but why did he do that…to keep the marauders in check? He laughed silently to himself.

He should have picked Remus…or Aaron. He growled to himself.
Aaron didn’t have the charm that Sirius carried, and was way out of his league. All James knew was that Aaron was smart…in making Lily to his homework for him, and was taller than he was.

Aaron had long, sandy brown hair, and innocent brown eyes. But James knew for a fact that he was very cunning, despite his innocent features. Aaron was a muggle-born, and while he was a muggle, he was a football star. James never did understand the logic of football…it’s sounded so stupid.

Pretty boy Aaron won’t have much to smile about if Lily catches on to how bad he truly is. Of course that isn’t going to happen, he has her fooled…she doesn’t even know he’s cheating on her with that quarter-veela girl Hanna. Too bad she would never believe me. James sighed to himself looking out the window; maybe this year would be better than the rest.

They sat in silence for a few minutes before they heard loud noises coming from outside. James was the first one out, to see Christopher shooting spells at the small first years.

“Look, Potter and his Mudblood freak have joined the party,” Christopher, a 7th year bully Slytherin said smiling at them.

“Shut up Christopher before I personally see to it that that stupid smile is wiped off your face for good,” James retorted pulling out his wand.

“James, we’re head boy and girl, we don’t need to start a duel,” Lily said grabbing his arm.

James melted at the touch and lowered his wand.

“That’s right Mudblood, control your boyfriend or I’ll see to it that he won’t be able to make little Potters,” Christopher said jabbing her wand in James’s direction.

James felt his face heat up, and he ripped out of Lily’s hold. “You are going to regret the day you were born...no, wait.... the day your parents were born. They’re nothing but filthy trash, like you.”

Christopher shot a spell at James, but James dodged as it spiraled into a compartment door. Christopher shot another spell at James, but he dodged it once again. The spell hit another compartment door, making it explode, to reveal a couple of second year girls talking. They screamed and ran out to another compartment.

“Stop the fighting, or I’ll be forced to give you a detention,” Lily yelled so she could be heard.

Christopher shot her such a glare, that Lily backed away, bumping into the wall. “You think you’re such hot stuff Mudblood, but you’re a disgrace to all wizards, even to the muggle freaks. You will pay. Lord Voldemort will make sure you’re first to die...he doesn’t accept people like you.”

Lily was frozen, and couldn’t think of a reply. Suddenly Christopher's face turned from a look of hatred, to a look of pain. She doubled over, revealing James standing behind him, his arms raised and his face red.

Suddenly James’ body seemed to lurch forward, and he was thrown into the wall where Lily was standing. She jumped, as he collapsed on the floor right by her feet. He stood up, his jet-black hair actually looking neater than usual, but his clothes torn. He ran his fingers through his hair once or twice, then glared at Christopher.

“How can you manage to make sure you’re hair is messy when Christopher is threatening us?” Lily asked, rolling her eyes.

“I don’t know…it’s a bit of a habit,” James replied.
.
“Where did you learn it?” Lily asked.

“Uhh, when I learned that girls fell for that,” James replied wincing, knowing that he was saying something wrong right as he was saying it.

“You really are something James,” Lily stated. “Thanks for saving me. It was nice of you to stand by me. Maybe you’re not half bad.”

“Lily…you just said six whole sentences without insulting me…it’s a record, last time it was only four!” James exclaimed, smiling.

“I just said thanks...and you’re counting my sentences?!…freak,” Lily retorted.

“Sorry to break up this heart warming moment, but I’m getting sick to my stomach,” Christopher said.

“Chris, I’m about a second away from hexing you into another year,” James replied menacingly.

“Well, since that is said, let’s see how your girlfriend takes the Cruciatus Curse,” Christopher replied coldly.

“Crucio!”

James leapt in front of Lily as the Cruciatus Curse hit him. He fell on the ground, writhing in pain.

Lily raised her wand angrily, and yelled

“Expelliarmus.”

A bright red beam came out the tip of her wand.

“Rebounda Protego!” Chris shouted.

An invisible shield appeared in front of Christopher, and the red beam rebounded off it, hitting Lily in the chest. She flew back against the wall, leaving an imprint of herself. She fell to the ground unconscious.

Lily woke to voices above her head. She kept her eyes closed, and was about to sit up, when she realized that she was with Elsie and May, and they were talking about James.

“Can you believe James Potter, jumped in front of a Crucio curse for a girl who hates him!” Elsie said in awe.

“I know, and can you believe that her boyfriend saw the whole thing and didn’t want to go help?!” May said furiously.

“He was too busy…” Elsie began

“Hush, Lily might be waking up,” May said warningly.

“Oh come on…she was knocked out cold,” Elsie replied disbelievingly.

“I just have a bad feeling that what we will say will send her into denial,” May said quietly.

Lily felt herself shiver…May’s feelings were almost always right.

“Its okay, she’s out cold,” Elsie retorted.

“Remember when you broke your nose?” May asked.

“As I said, it won’t matter, she’s out cold,” Elsie said, ignoring May’s last comment.

“No, we will not say it.” May replied, her eyes flashing with warning signs.

“She’s out cold, its okay if we say that Aaron’s cheating on her with that quarter veela girl Hanna,” Elsie said.

Lily jolted up, her eyes brimming with tears. “He’s what?!”

“I told you,” May said sadly to Elsie. “Now it’s up to you to tell her.” With that, May stalked out.

May kept walking until she was back in the Marauders compartment.

“Sirius, I need to talk to you outside,” May said seriously.

“Looks like I’m making progress,” Sirius said, smiling and glancing at the other Marauders, before walking out of the compartment with May. “So I’ve finally made an impression on you.”

“Not in your dreams,” May replied.

“So…is it about helping you win the bet?” he questioned.

“Yeah, she found out Aaron was cheating on her...we need James to find out her inner-thoughts…maybe a spell or something,” May said.

“Sure, talk to me in the common room at midnight tonight,” Sirius said.

“To talk, only to talk…nothing else,” May said seriously, even though her heart was thumping loudly in her chest.

He turned around and walked out, and May backed up against a wall and slid down it, smiling. She couldn’t believe it…she was falling for Sirius’ charm. She shook her head. I’m sick, just sick, I need a nap.

She walked back to her compartment shaking her head.

“RUN LILY!” James cried out, dodging a giant bolt of lightning.

Lily shook her head and started running when a death eater appeared in front of her. Lily stopped dead in her tracks and pulled out her wand.

“Leave us alone!” she cried, clutching Harry closer to her chest.

“I want the pendant, Malfoy was nothing more than a distraction, now give it to me or you’ll be forced to give it to me,” said a cold voice that Lily couldn’t quite place. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Lily backed away, realizing it was none other than Severus. “You, how could you?” she stammered, still backing away.

“Give it to me!” he yelled.

“Never.” Lily broke off into a run through the house desperate to get to the back door. She couldn’t Apparate because of Harry; it wasn’t safe until the baby was at least 2 years old. She heard a small pop and Severus appeared in front of her.

She shoved him out her way and grabbed the door handle. Suddenly she felt something rip her off her feet and when she landed she was in a dungeon. The walls were stone and their were no windows. Their were two straw piles, presumably for beds.

She stood up and checked on Harry. It wasn’t right to use a portkey until the baby was five. Harry was awake looking around but seemed otherwise fine.

She stood up to find her gown covered in…blood. Lily shivered and realized the entire floor was covered in blood and on the walls were skeletons, in chains and whips on the ground next to them.

Lily gasped and scooted away. She would have to try to Apparate. She closed her eyes but hit a barrier. She felt herself hit the floor breaking her ankle. Tears starting to leak up…and she felt denial starting to numb her pain. Just like it did with Aaron so many years back.

---

Elsie looked at Lily’s worn down face and sighed. She really should have listened to May. Lily bright green eyes were downcast and a few tears leaked down her already tear-stained face.

“I’m so sorry, but you would never listen to us when we tried to tell you why we didn’t like Aaron, we didn’t know he was cheating on you, but we didn’t like him,” Elsie said softly.

“Oh sure, rub it in!” Lily snapped.

“I’m not trying to rub it in Lily,” Elsie replied calmly.

“Yes you are, you are just dying to say I told you so, so go on and say it…just say it.” Lily said coldly.

“Lily, listen to me, I’m trying to help but he’s cheating with that quarter-veela girl and it isn’t right for you take your anger out on me,” Elsie said her voice rising.

“You!” Lily cried pointing to May as she entered the compartment.

“Me what?” May asked.

“You knew it all along that he was cheating, you and your stupid feelings and visions. And they said I was a freak, you’re more of a freak than I am!” Lily exploded glaring at May.

“Lily, calm down, this is not like you.” May said soothingly.

“Your freaking hypnosis isn’t going to help,” Lily said. “Wait, quarter-veela, which means she’s using her charm to steal my dear and precious Aaron away from me. I’ll show her, my poor Aaron is being charmed.”

“Umm Lily, quarter-veela’s turn out like normal people with normal looks, they have no charm that works on people, they just turn out with a little more than others but not always.” Elsie replied tentatively.

“No, he’s being charmed.” Lily replied.

May was shaking with what looked like rage. Whatever that was making her shake so violently exploded and she yelled, “Think about what you’re saying, THINK! Aaron is not captivated by some Veela charm, it’s on his own free will! He doesn’t give a care in the whole world about you. You are only seeing the good looks, the exterior, ever try looking at what’s on the inside, if you did you would see that James had been trying so hard for almost seven years just to have a decent conversation, he jumped in front of a unforgivable curse for someone who has turned him down and insulted him over and over, that’s true love! And until you see that Aaron is rotten down to the core, then me, or Elsie won’t be able to help you!”
May shot Lily a dirty look and stalked out.

“She’s right.” Elsie said quietly walking out leaving Lily alone.

Not much later the train slowed to a stop and Lily was about to search the regular carriages to find Aaron when James stopped her.

“We need to go to the Head Boy and Girl Carriage,” he said. He walked off, not bothering to do anything wrong.

Lily felt herself twinge then caught herself, What the heck was that about, urghhh, it felt so weird, what was it?

Lily entered the carriage, and she was suddenly being kissed by Aaron. She melted into his arms and all her fears melted away, no way someone who kissed her so wonderfully be cheating on her, it was all probably a rumor.

“How are you sweetheart?” he asked. “I heard that Chris guy hurt you, next time I see him he’s going down.”

“Thanks Aaron, but I’m sure one of the teachers will take care of it,” Lily replied gently kissing him.

“Well, I love you, and don’t let Potter try anything.” Aaron said walking off.

“Love you too,” she called after him waving frantically for no reason. He turned back and gave a small wave and kept walking.

Lily smiled to herself and went to go get on the carriage to see James crying. Tears leaked down his face and his glasses were held in his right hand. He ran his hand through his hair much slower and caught himself. He stopped and pulled out a comb and started combing his hair.

“Uh, hi James, how are you doing?” Lily asked knowing very well he was hurt.

He jumped and jammed his glasses on his face and started rubbing his eyes furiously .

“Fine, I think that spell did something to my eyes because I keep crying for no reason,” he said, his voice a bit stiff.

Lily didn’t believe him for one second and was about to retort angrily but stopped herself.

“Oh, sorry I made you jump in front of the curse,” Lily said looking down.

“No problem, would have done it for anyone,” James said quickly diverting his gaze.

Lily looked up to see him staring out the window. This wasn’t like James, maybe the curse had messed him up.

When they got to Hogwarts the Sorting Hat began its song... however this time it was very quick and blatant.

When it got to the students however it gave a small description of each one. It ended on Zen, Kyle saying how his ancestors were in Hufflepuff and became very good Curse-Breakers.

“That was strange,” Remus said. “It’s never given descriptions of each family before.”

“How would you know?” Sirius replied.

“I’ve read Hogwarts, a History and other books about the sorting, this had never happened,” Remus replied.

“You read to much,” Sirius said.

“If you would once in a while pick up a book then maybe you’d understand why I like them,” Remus retorted curtly.

“Oh come off it Moony, Sirius and I will never change,” James said.

“Yeah, they’re two ways to spell trouble,” Peter said.

“Hey, that’s good, James and Sirius, two ways to spell trouble,” James said nodding his head.

Peter blushed, getting a compliment from James was rare.

“Hogwarts begins another great year,” Dumbledore said, smiling and standing up. "Now, students, this year we have many students who haven’t returned and many new students. Also we must enforce the rules even more this year for the threat of Lord Voldemort is growing. Also I have added these twelve Snowy Owls to our many Owls. They are not to be used but to bring the sad news of death.” There was a small ripple throughout the students. “Lets hope they don’t have to be used and will grow fat and old.”

“Now…you may eat!”

The empty trays magically filled with food and slowly the Great Hall was very noisy.

“Snowy owls, that are a first, no kid has brought a Snowy Owl to school except for Tom Riddle.” Remus said.

“Who?” Peter asked.

“Tom Riddle, he was a student here, Tom Riddle was the first kid who bought a Snowy Owl as their owl,” Remus replied.

“You do read to much,” James said.

Remus ignored them and started eating.

As the Great Hall slowly emptied and everyone made their way back to their dorms May and Elsie were looking for Lily.

“Where did she go?” May asked looking at Elsie.

“We’ll find her in the dorm,” Elsie replied.

“Okay…Butterbeer,” May said to the Fat Lady who lazily swung aside.

In their dorm at about ten, a girl with short stringy dark brown hair entered their dorm looking extremely shy. She had two trunks behind her and a suitcase in her hand. She was wearing muggle clothes…an “I love you, but I love me more” baby blue sweater and blue jeans.

“Uh…this is our dorm,” May said uncertainly.

“I’m new…is this the seventh year dorm with May…Elsie…and Lily in it?” The girl asked.

“Yep,” Elsie replied. “I’m Elsie.”

“I’m Marilyn…Marilyn Tear.” Marilyn said a brief smile flashing across her face.

“I’m May,” May said shaking her hand.

“If you don’t mind me saying…but you look like a fifth or sixth year…not a seventh,” Elsie commented.

“Oh…I’m a sixth year…but I got jumped up to seventh,” Marilyn replied. “Long complicated story…when I was in Dumbledore’s office the hat was telling him how it though I would be great for Ravenclaw…but how I wanted Gryffindor…so here I am…”

“Well…nice to meet you Marilyn…there is another girl…her name is Lily Evans…but she’s not here right now,” May said shrugging.

“That’s alright,” Marilyn said as she moved to the only unoccupied bed.

The three girls kept talking till around midnight when May stood up.

“Elsie…Marilyn, I promised I would meet someone, see you later,” May said walking out.

“Does she usually go for visits?” Marilyn asked.

“No…I think she’s secretly seeing a boy she likes,” Elsie said. “Want to go check it out?”

“No thank you…I’d rather unpack and get settled in,” Marilyn replied.

“Okay…I’ll help,” Elsie replied, starting to help the new girl unpack.

May watched both hands of the clock move to twelve. She was getting inpatient…where was Sirius?

A black rose fell from behind her and into her hand. She looked it over when the voice of Sirius made her leap a few feet in the air

“Hey May,” Sirius said, standing behind her.