Breakfast time in the Great Hall was always a noisy affair- today it was especially so, because it was the first day of classes. Remus, who always seemed to be reading something, had his face buried in the Daily Prophet, his plate of bacon, sausage and fried eggs left untouched. The Marauders often joked that being a werewolf gave Moony a carnivorous appetite. Remus set the paper down in the middle of the table as Professor McGonagall handed him his schedule. Wormtail, upon receiving his, leaned into Moony to compare. He was relieved to see that they has Transfiguration together, which Peter found very difficult. Then again, Wormtail found almost all his subjects difficult. Moony handed his schedule to James, who laid it down above his and Sirius’. Sirius wasn’t looking at the schedules, since he was now deeply immersed in the Daily Prophet wearing a slight frown. The three schedules were almost exactly alike. D.A.D.A., Transfiguration, and Charms were all at the same time. However, while Moony had Care of Magical Creatures, James and Sirius’ had Potions. Also, while Sirius was in Muggle Studies (which he took to infuriate his family), and Moony was in Arithmancy (braniac), James had N.E.W.T. level divination with Wormtail. James had lied on his O.W.L. to get into N.E.W.T. level, because Lily was taking it. Wormtail was the only Marauder who could be talked into signing up, as Lupin had never been interested, and Sirius had said he’d had enough. James handed Remus’ schedule back to him and took the paper Sirius offered him.

“Any good news?” James asked as Sirius began to shovel food into his mouth.

Sirius shook his head, seeing as his mouth was too full to speak. Remus , bacon in hand, responded, “No. There’s an article in there about the theorized percentage of Ministry employees who have either been bewitched by or are freely working with Lord Voldemort.” Wormtail winced at the name.

“I think I’ll read it at break. Don’t have time now,” James said as he thumbed through the paper, pulled out a few pages, and handed them good-naturedly across the table to Peter, who took them eagerly and placed them in his bag. It was the comics section, and, taking his cue from Prongs, at break he would delve into “The Mini-Adventures of Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle.” He then turned back to his food.

Lupin ate rapidly, but calmly, while the others ate the way only boys can eat. James and Sirius both bolted food into their mouths in true form to their personalities. James ate like an athlete, and Sirius . . . well, he did morph into a dog. Yet there was something charismatic about their piggishness, while Peter was just a slob. Food was on the table, on his robes, and on his face. He was disgusting to watch.

As the Marauders sat eating in came a flock of girls stalking past in swoosh of robes and hair. The five girls sat a few seats down from the boys, Lily among them. “Hey, boys,” they called in unison.

“Good morning,” the Marauders grunted.

“Hello, Sirius.” Padfoot turned his head to look who had called him. It was a girl named Abby. She had blonde hair that she had feathered back to look like a TV star she saw in a Muggle magazine. She had blue eyes, and red fingernails. Sirius swallowed, nodded, and smiled rakishly at her. All the girls with Abby giggled, except Lily who was reading her copy of the Daily Prophet.

The girls’ giggling had called Professor McGonagall’s attention to their presence. She hustled over to them with their schedules, scolded them for being late to breakfast on the first day, and then hustled away again. Lily put down the paper, and picked up her schedule.

“Lily . . .”

“Hmm . . .”

“Lily?”

“What?” Lily emerged from her schedule to notice that Potter was addressing her.

“Lily?” He tried again.

Feeling slightly triumphant, she swivelled in her seat and said, “NO,” sharply and loudly. Ha, she thought, he was only waiting till today to ask me out.

James looked slightly confused; Lily wondered why.

“Noo, you can’t pass the pepper?” He questioned her slowly.

Lily immediately began to take in the scene around her. As usual, conversation had stopped like it always did when Lily shot down Potter, but they were looking at her funny this morning. She looked past James at Sirius, hand poised to take the pepper which he eyed longingly. Lily noticed that Remus was looking from her to James, wearing a bemused expression. Lily looked down at her plate. Directly in front of her was the pepper shaker. She blushed.

“Oh. Yes, of course,” she finally responded, handing it down the table. “I’m sorry,” she blundered on to James, “I thought you were . . .”

“I know.” James looked hurt and gave Lily a weak smile. Abruptly he stood, mumbled something about forgetting a book, and left the Great Hall.

The whispering and the rumors began at once. “James Potter talked to Lily Evans and did not ask her out.” “What ” “Did he gawk at her?” “No.” “What ” “Wow. He seriously has not asked out Evans?” “Not since last June.” “This is exciting.”

A girl with iron straight hair, named Sarah, sat across from Lily. When James was out of earshot she asked, “Does this mean he’s available?” Lily blushed again.

Lily just did not understand it. She could no longer remember the last time Potter had not asked her out. She saw him several more times that day, and still he did not ask. Lily had thought that when this day came, she would be ecstatic. She wasn’t.

“Does this mean he’s available . . .” she mimicked sarcastically under her breath.