James didn't pay much attention to what Lily was saying; whether that was a good thing or a bad, he wasn't sure. He knew the rules; every rulebreaker had to know the rules in order to insure that they were properly broken. And anyway, in between watching Lily's hair flick back and forth with the rocking of the train, and her hands accentuating what she was saying, he learned anything he hadn't know already.
"Well, Potter," said Lily through gritted teeth. "Have you anything to add?"
"No," said James, looking around at the other students in the carriage. "I think Miss Evans covered it perfectly." Lily rolled her eyes and bid good day to the rest of the people in the carriage. James followed after her, with Remus right behind him.
"I hope you had a good summer, Evans,"said James, as Lily turned into a compartment with her two friends, to whom he smiled.
"Well, it was much better without you hanging around asking me out all the time," said Lily, turning around to face him.
James's face fell. "Merlin, all I did was ask you a small question," he said, with a undertone of hurt in his words. He turned away and continued away down the train.
He could hear Remus being greeted by the other girls, but only Remus heard Nikeia's next statement: "You know Lily, I really wouldn't mind having James ask me a question. Maybe you should be nicer." Had James turned around at that moment, he would've seen Remus smile wryly.
"I don't understand why she hates me so much!"exclaimed James as her entered the compartment and sat down next to Sirius. He snatched a Chocolate Frog—it was already open—from Sirius's hands and began eating it.
"What? Who? Who hates you?" asked Peter, the one always just slightly behind the other three Marauders.
"Wormtail! Try to keep up!" said Sirius, flicking a wrapper at Peter.
"Lily Evans. That is who hates James, and that is who James is talking about."
Peter's face brightened up with understanding at Remus's words.
"Oh! She really hates you?" he asked. Another wrapper was thrown at him. James just smiled, wearily.
"Yes, she does, and I really wish I could understand her!"
"Well," said Moony, opening a package of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. "Girls are difficult to understand, from my limited experience, but asking her out as much as you did last year probably didn't help you any. Why don't you let up with that this year?"
"Okay," conceded James, "Granted. I'll stop that... I'll try to stop that. But just now, when I asked her how her summer went, she nearly bit my head off.�
When Sirius's eyes widened and he almost choked, Remus said, "It's true. He asked her all nice like and she just said 'it was much better without you hanging around.'"
"Oh, that little red-head!" said Sirius. He fiercely popped a bean from Remus's box in his mouth, chewed, and grimaced very animatedly.
Lily watched Remus until she saw him enter his compartment. Then, she turned and sat down.
"I don't want to be nicer!" she said, in answer to Nikeia's remark. "He's arrogant, and rude, and has no qualms breaking the rules! It just makes me angry how many things he's gotten away with!" she said loudly.
"Well, true, that describes James pretty nicely," said Josey. "But. For everything he's gotten away with, he's gotten in trouble for something else. You should still try to give him a chance. He actually is rather nice. And he does get good marks. Just because he makes trou—oh!" Josey broke off suddenly and looked to Nikeia. "Oh dear! Could it be, Lily, that you don't want people to think that you fancy him, so you dwell on his bad side?" she asked, to Lily's horror.
Nikeia gasped and smiled, understanding where Josey was taking this. "It's a rather clichéd thought, but do you fancy him?" she asked.
Lily looked disgusted. "No!" she said with gusto. "That is just—Ugh!"
Nikeia and Josey nodded knowingly.
"I don't!" said Lily fiercely. Her two best friends appeared to drop the subject, though they smirked at each other and raised their eyebrows.
Lily threw a Bertie Bott's bean at each of them.
As they were nearing Hogwarts, Lily walked up and down the train in her school robes and began telling people to get ready. As she came up to one compartment, she could hear words being spoken rather heatedly. Looking into the compartment, she found three first years; two of whom were facing the other, who was speaking.
"No, Slytherin is the best! All the wizards from that house are the greatest and become wonderful things, like my father!" The sandy-haired boy threw his head up in pride and put his small hands on his hips. This boy looked angry, but nowhere near as angry as the girl did: she looked ready to slap someone.
"Whatever is going on in here?" asked Lily, stepping into the small room. The two children looked up to Lily; the prideful boy turned around quickly, as if annoyed to be interrupted.
"That boy,"said the girl, "was saying that Gryffindor is a rubbish house! So, I got mad."
Lily looked to the second boy as if to make sure that this was true and he nodded.
"Well, that is complete rubbish itself,"said Lily, "Every House has its merits. Gryffindor is just as great as the others."
"Stupid girl!" shot the blonde boy, and Lily's eyes widened.
"How dare you speak to me in such a way?"
"Well, who cares? Gryffindors are all stuck-up people. And I don't have to listen to you!" The boy stuck out his tongue and crossed his arms over his chest.
"I beg to differ with you, young sir!" said a voice from behind Lily. She turned her head and saw James Potter standing there, an angry look on his fine features. His voice had deepened slightly. "As she is older than you, and the Head Girl, she deserves the same amount of respect you would give a professor. Now, apologize and then you can gather your things and leave this compartment, or sit here quietly and leave the other children alone!"
The little Slytherin's eyes widened and he shot back with such ferocity that Lily was thoroughly taken aback once again: "Just you wait until I can perform a decent curse! All of you will be on the receiving end of the fiercest hex that you have ever felt in your life!"
"Oh, I highly doubt that!" said Potter, succeeding magnificently to hide a smile. "Miss Evans here can be mighty fierce when it comes to curses. And when it comes to physical blows." Potter looked at Lily and smiled slightly. She gave him a look that said: "Don't make me show them what you mean."
The little boy scoffed rudely and climbed onto the seat, as if to pull his luggage from the rack. Lily watched as Potter smiled at the attempt, then walked over and pulled the trunk down. The Slytherin, as he would no doubt become, bristled at the help and, after grabbing the handle of his trunk, kicked Potter's shin and walked out of the compartment with his head held high. He made sure to hit Lily's arm. Potter inhaled fiercely and grabbed his attacked limb. He hobbled around a bit, but was pulled down by the little girl.
"Are you all right?" she asked, placing a little hand on his leg. James smiled and nodded.
"You kids just get fiercer each year!"
Though forcing back a chuckle, Lily managed to speak calmly to the other children. "You better put on your robes. And forget what that boy said. Gryffindor is the best house," she whispered conspiratorially. Everyone chuckled and Potter stood up.
"Yeah, you better do as Miss Evans said. We'll see you at the Sorting." With a wave and a smile, the two seventh years walked out.
Turing back, Lily said to the children: "I'm sure you two will make your house proud, whichever you are in. I will see all of you later, I promise." She walked out into the corridor and turned to see that Potter had waited for her. She didn't know exactly what to say, but since Josey was behind Potter—and glaring—Lily knew she had better say something nice.
"Thank you; I appreciated that."
Potter grinned at Lily's words.
"Well, you"re welcome, Evans. I am here to help you whenever you need it. We are in the same house, after all. I'll see you later," he said as he smiled and walked past her.
"I think he likes you," said the not-so-angry boy. Apparently, the two kids had been listening to the exchange of words between James and Lily, and intently, too. Lily was surprised at the boy's boldness, and had the distinct impression that he would be a Gryffindor. She chuckled, though she was slightly flustered, and kept on walking down the train. Josey walked with her, having found the Trolley Lady and purchased a Cauldron Cake.
"And I think she likes him, too," the little girl added as Lily walked away. The other boy nodded and started a game of Exploding Snap.