Author's Note: Though you probably don't care, it's my job to tell you this: I haven't written Harry Potter (mostly Lily/James) fanfiction in almost two years, but I have been writing it for other things, such as Degrassi. I have to admit, Harry Potter tops Degrassi any day in my books, though. Anyway, my point is that this is my first Harry Potter story in a long time, so I'm kind of nervous; I hope I still have a knack for it. Enjoy the story :) Please review.

Lily Evans took a seat in a compartment at the end of the Hogwarts Express. As usual, she sat alone, which Lily truthfully didn't mind at all. She'd learned from her first best friend, Severus Snape, that people weren't always easy to trust, and though she still cared for him, she knew she was better off unaccompanied.

She took out one of the many books from her small bag beside her, and began to read, comfortably sprawled out on the seat after pulling her hair out of its neat ponytail.

Lily was quite surprised when the door of her compartment opened, causing her to look up from her book. Nobody ever came into Lily department…save James Potter, since fourth year. Everyone just knew she was a born loner.

She was surprised to see the faces of Lindsey Ellhart and Samantha Jayson, two girls she had barely spoken a word with during all of her years at Hogwarts. She had no reason to dislike the two, for all she knew about them was Lindsey's fixation with Sirius Black, and Samantha's love for gossip.

"Hello, Lily," said Lindsey gleefully, waving her hand back and forth emphatically.

Lily merely raised her eyebrow at the intrusion of her peace and quiet, and shrugged, not wanting to sound impolite. "How are you?" she asked.

"We're very well, thanks," Samantha answered for the both of them.

The two girls took a seat across from her, and she gestured to her book as if to ask if they minded her reading it, but they simply looked blankly at her.

"Can I help you two with something?" she asked with a smile, hopefully letting them see she wasn't trying to shoo them out, though she really did want them to leave her be.

"Oh, no," said Samantha.

"Nothing," added Lindsey.

Lily nodded, and then assumed they'd probably only needed to come in for a seat. She gladly picked up her book to read again, but before reading two sentences, she was interrupted again.

"Actually, Lily," Lindsey began, twisting her hands nervously, "we were wondering if you could tell us…your secret." Samantha nodded along with her.

Lily put her book down, realizing she wasn't going to get any reading done for a while. She looked at them, completely lost. "What secret?"

Samantha leaned in closer, forcing Lily to lean back against her seat. "You know," she said, hoping for Lily to suddenly understand. "Your secret! How you get all the boys to like you."

Lily closed her eyes, laughing silently inside her head. Were they serious? "How?" she asked, trying to keep her voice neutral.

"Yes, how," said Samantha. She looked very impatient now, obviously figuring that Lily wasn't going to help them much.

Lily was quite thrown off by the question. What was she supposed to say? She scooted over to the window, looking out at the distance for a moment before she had to answer the dreaded inquiry.

"You won't like my answer," she started, resisting the urge to roll her eyes, "but I don't do anything."

Samantha and Lindsey sat before her, clearly skeptical with their arms crossed. "Nothing?" said Lindsey doubtfully. "Okay, okay, first of all, you're beautiful. We can't," she turned to her friend, "do anything about that. It's just who she is."

Samantha agreed, and went on. "However, there must be something inside you that attracts the boys."

"The boys?" said Lily, unable to stop herself from letting out a laugh. "James Potter?"

"Well, of course!" exclaimed Lindsey, throwing her arms up, as if she were asking to God above why Lily was so clueless. Lily had to roll her eyes at the gesture. "He's a perfectly good choice. I mean," she said with a lovesick giggle, "he's right below Sirius."

"Look, you two, I know you want me to help you get to Black, but the most he's going to go for is some bimbo who wears barely any clothes," said Lily crossly. Why anyone in her right mind would go for Sirius Black, was something Lily couldn't begin to understand. Then again, she wasn't sure poor Lindsey was in her right mind.

"That's what I have to do!" said Lindsey excitedly. "Say good-bye to clothing."

Goodness. Lily had no idea how she was going to manage that one, or why she'd even try, but if Lindsey having her answer meant that she was going to leave Lily alone for the rest of the trip, Lily was quite content.

"Thanks so much, Lily," said Lindsey, and she truly sounded appreciative.

Lily watched her get up to go, and she felt completely horrible for a moment. "Wait," she said, pointing at the seat again. "The clothing thing is bad."

Lily hadn't realized until that moment how happy the thought of having Sirius made Lindsey. "Look, if you want Sirius to like you, I mean really like you, you have to make him respect you, and I guess…unfortunately," she added, "that's what I did to Potter, by accident. Therefore, he fell for me, so if the plan works for Sirius, I'll just do the opposite to James from now on."

Lindsey laughed, but immediately became glum again. "How do I make him respect me?" she asked hopelessly.

Lily sighed. "Well, Sirius is—"

"Oh, hello, ladies. Funny thing, I came in, and heard my name. Not using surname now, Evans?"

Sirius had turned up in the doorway to their compartment with a teasing look on his face.

"What a coincidence!" said Lily, waving him out of the compartment. "Please, like I don't know you were standing there for a half hour or so."

"I wasn't!" he denied quickly, looking true to his word.

"Where are your little friends?" asked Lily, realizing that something was definitely missing. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen Sirius alone.

He ignored the question. "Quick survey for ya, Evy?"

Rolling her eyes at the nickname, Lily made room for him to sit. "No," she said sternly. "I'm not stupid."

"It's just a simple survey," said Sirius with a charming smile as he threw his arm around Lily's shoulder. Lindsey glared daggers at the gesture.

"You're reporting to Potter," she said. Not asked. "He wants to learn things about me, so he can trick me into falling for him. It's not going to work," she warned, "so leave."

Sirius removed his arm. "Evy, it's not nothing to do with James! Can't a guy ask a random girl a few questions about herself?"

"Survey me, then!" suggested Lindsey, mainly trying to reveal herself to Sirius.

"Ah, can't," he said dramatically, looking down at his watch. "I must be heading back to my compartment. Thanks for the time, Evans."

Lily looked up at him, bewildered as he left. "I didn't give you any time!"

Lindsey had her arms crossed over her chest, sighing heavily. "He doesn't even notice me! All he could look at was you, as always."

All Lily had wanted was to read her book! Now she had to comfort a pained girl who was convinced her dream boy was in love with Lily. She sighed as well. "Not true. He just came in here for his friend."

"Says you," said Samantha, standing by her friend's side.

"Listen," Lily began, wondering what she could possibly say to comfort her, "you remember how every year I set a goal for myself?"

"Ohhh, yes," said Samantha with a chuckle. "First year, a grade of excellence on each final exam."

"Second year," said Lindsey, happier now that her attention was diverted, "with the use of a time turner, take more classes than any witch has before!"

"Third year, get Potter off my back…" said Lindsey, frowning as she remembered their previous conversation.

"Fourth year," said Samantha, beginning to wonder why Lily had asked such a sudden question, "get Potter off my back."

"Fifth year…get Potter off my back."

"And the same went for sixth year," said Lily, throwing in the last bit herself. "Now, if you'd like, my goal for seventh year will be: help Sirius fall desperately in love with his," she paused for dramatic effect, "soul mate, Lindsey Ellhart!"

"Oh, would you, Lil! Thank you so much!"

Lindsey reached over to give Lily a much-accepted hug. "Don't mention it. I ask only one thing of you," said Lily, holding her index finger up. The two looked expectantly at her. "Let me, please, read my book."

Lindsey and Samantha nodded, talking with each other for the rest of the ride.

"I tried! She's a mind reader, I swear it," said Sirius, wondering just how Lily had known their plan.

Remus snorted from the corner of the compartment. "Oh, yes, I'm sure that's it. It couldn't just be that, perhaps, you did the same thing last year?"

"Yes, well, last year, it wasn't on Prongs' orders!" he defended himself.

James looked crestfallen, but not yet defeated. "I have an idea!" he shouted.

"What?" asked Peter immediately, leaning forward in his seat. He always loved to hear James' plans.

James looked thoughtful for a moment, running his finger along his chin before slapping his thighs furiously. "I already did that!"

Remus had long since given up on the idea of his friend winning Lily Evans over. He loved James quite a bit, and he wanted so badly for it to work, but he knew it wouldn't happen. It was just a good dream, and he hoped that James would soon move on.

"Look, mate, maybe just give her some space," Remus suggested, not entirely sure it would help matters, but it would help James decide if she really was worth it or not.

"He's already tried that too," said Sirius from James' left side. "Unfortunately, he was only able to stay away for an hour." He wasn't able to control his laughter until James jabbed him painfully in the stomach.

"An hour and six minutes," he corrected, but laughed as well. "I don't know what to do."

Remus gave another, final, suggestion. "Get to know her?"

"Well, what do you think the damn surveys are all about? Besides, we'll have…idea!"

The others looked uninterested, but he continued, not noticing. "Well, in about five minutes, we'll have to go to the Prefect compartment for 'head' stuff, and then, she'll have to talk to me."

Remus raised an eyebrow. "Why?" he asked, confused.

"Well, not then. She'll be too busy flipping out that I'm Head Boy, but then, when we get to school, we'll have to do evening rounds together…" he said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "It'll work."

"Brilliant," said Sirius, looking interested now that he knew it was a good plan. The other two simply rolled their eyes.

"I know," said James excitedly. "I'll have her. You just wait."

"If you keep saying things like, 'I'll have her', then you definitely won't," Remus pointed out.

"Good plan!" said James.

Author's Note: Pleeeease review.