Disclaimer: I do not own anything. It all belongs to JKR. Enjoy!

Chapter 1 - They Never Change

Lily Evans sat in the empty train compartment, a small blue leather journal perched on her lap. She was scribbling lazily in it, occasionally looking up to stare out the window, at the scenery passing by. Then, with a sigh, she'd go back to writing in her diary. This process was completed many times, in a patterned cycle.

Tuesday – September 1st – 1976

The train ride to Hogwarts has always bored me. I used to sit with Sev, but I'm decidedly ignoring him from now on. I mean, he did call me a 'mudblood' after all. Those stupid Slytherins have been getting to him, especially Malfoy. Hate's a strong word, but I'm not particularly fond of any of them. I was of Severus, he was my best friend after all. I still can't believe what he did. It's all stupid Potter's fault. If he hadn't hexed Sev, maybe none of this would happen. Maybe I'd still have my friend. Oh, look at me. Getting all sentimental. But what do you know, you're just a stupid diary. You do help though, mother always does know best. This was probably the best present I got all year, besides that new potions set I've had my eye on for a while. Potions has always been my best subject. It helps that I'm in the Slug Club. I should stop writing, I'm giving myself a headache. I wonder where I'll sit at dinner. Probably alone, as usual. Nobody wants to sit with the Redheaded-Know-It-All.

Just as Lily finished her entry and put her diary up, Remus Lupin entered the compartment, looking cheerful. His prefect badge shined against his robes. Lily had her badge on as well, perfectly polished.

"Hello, Lily. I trust you had a good summer?" Remus asked her, not unkindly. She had always liked Remus, in a strictly plutonic way. She knew about his 'Furry Little Problem' and tried as much as she could to help, but they were in no way close friends. Just friends, or maybe just acquaintances.

"Yes, it was nice. How about you?" She responded politely. In fact, her summer was only a tiny bit better than to school year. Lily wasn't sure where she'd rather be: home, with her prick of a sister always picking on her and putting her down; or school, where she was constantly ignored or looked down upon by the Hogwarts population.

"It was swell. I'd even go as far to say groovy," he grinned wryly and Lily couldn't help but smile back. She glanced back out the window for a moment. They were chugging through the hills now, the sun shining, making the grass look greener than usual. It was unusually warm for September, not that she minded.

"Ah, Moony! Flower! A lovely day, is it not?" Sirius Black burst into the compartment, James and Peter following closely behind. She had to fight back a groan. She wasn't fond of the Marauders, especially not Potter.

"Sirius, must you ruin everything?" Lily asked, frowning and gathering her things. The tall, handsome boy frowned at her.

"But Lilykins, I'm just getting started!" He cried. She shook her head sadly, picking up her cat, Mushi. She murmured a goodbye to Remus and exited the compartment, having to walk past James to get out. She felt his eyes travel down her body, appraising her.

"Hullo, Evans," he greeted calmly. She scowled and nodded at him in greeting, and skedaddled before he could ask her out for the billionth time.

She tried to find another empty compartment, but that was nearly impossible. Discouraged, she finally found one that had Alice Smith, a roommate of hers, and Alice's boyfriend, Frank Longbottom.

"Ah, hello, Lily! I wondered when you'd be getting here," Alice smiled kindly and moved over so Lily could get settled.

"Sorry to barge in. The Marauders took over my compartment. They really think they own the school, don't they?" Lily sighed angrily and plopped down, crossing her legs under her.

"Oh, they aren't that bad. James is actually quite sweet once you get to know him. He really is besotted with you, dear. They mean well, you know," Alice had a soothing voice and Lily smiled sadly.

"Yes, well, it doesn't matter if he's besotted or not, as you say. He's still an arrogant toe-rag, hexing anybody he feels just for fun. Sirius Black is no better, really. And Peter just goes along with everything they say. Remus is the only one I can stand, you think he'd try and knock some sense into their thick heads," shaking her head, Lily stroked Mushi's soft fur, the cat purring loudly.

"Just give him a chance. He may have changed, you know," Frank piped in. He was the other roommate to the infamous Marauders, and was constantly annoyed by their sneaking out and pranks.

"I fully doubt it," Lily huffed, crossing her arms. She had her mind set that a person like James Potter could never change. In her mind, he would always be a bully and nothing could change that.

"And with these last words, may the feast begin!" Professor Dumbledore clapped his hands twice, his eyes twinkling, and the food appeared on the table. Gryffindor had gained about fifteen new first years from the sorting, all wide-eyed and innocent.

Lily sat quietly next to Alice, picking at her food. She didn't feel too hungry. All around her, the Great Hall buzzed with conversation and excitement. It was too bad that she didn't feel like taking part in it. Her food remained mostly untouched for the rest of the feast, which thankfully ended within half an hour.

Professor Dumbledore finally dismissed all the students after a few final words, and Lily met up with Remus to lead the First Years upstairs, as was their prefect duties.

"First Years, follow me!" Lily called.

"Keep up, please!" Remus echoed from nearby. They led the eleven year olds up to the common room, giving them the speech they themselves had been given when they first started at Hogwarts.

"Do not tell anybody else in any other houses where the common room is, or the password. Here is where you will spend much of your time. Up the stairs and down to your left is the boys dormitories, girls is upstairs and down to your right. No boys in the girl's dormitories and no girls in the boy's. All of your things are already in your dorms. Any questions?"

Once all the first years had settled in, Lily headed up to her own dorm. She was frazzled and tired, having spent a good amount of time calming down one particular homesick girl, before a kind roommate of the girl took over. Shuffling into the room, Lily's roommates looked up as she entered. Alice was sitting on her bed, sorting through her clothes. The other three girls, Genevieve, Regina, and Charlotte, all sat talking together in hushed voices. They were nice enough, but much too petty and vain for Lily's taste. They paid about as much attention to her as she paid to them, which was fine enough. They got along better with Alice, anyway.

"How was your summer?" Charlotte asked Lily, trying to make small talk.

"It was fine. I'm sorry, but I'm really tired. I'm going to bed," the redhead changed quickly and closed the drapes around her four-poster bed. She couldn't help but feel sorry for herself. She was basically alone, anti-social and friendless. It was mostly her fault, she acknowledged, but that didn't help any. She knew what the other girls really thought of her. It obviously had never occurred to them that she was just shy, most thought her to be a snob, assuming she thought she was better than them. But that wasn't it. Lily didn't care much for their petty gossip either, which limited the girls she could stand talking with. That really only left Alice, and a few seventh year girls, but the seventh years would be too busy studying for their N.E.W.T.s to bother with a sixth year.

The next morning was uneventful, as Lily had awoken early and had extra time to shower and get ready. Alice was up, too, and they made their way down to the common room in a comfortable silence.

"Good morning, ladies!" Sirius chirped, walking up behind them in the hall and wrapping his arms around their shoulders.

"Frank wouldn't be happy if he saw this," Alice sneered and Lily tried to shrug Sirius' arm off.

"What Frankieboy doesn't know won't hurt him!" Obviously Sirius was in a good mood, which bothered Lily immensely. A Marauder in a good mood could only mean one thing: a prank.

The entered the Great Hall, only to glance around in awe. The whole hall was decked out in red and gold, glitter flashing everywhere. Fireworks were going off, too, overhead.

"You managed this in one night?" Lily choked out. She had to admit, the boys were powerful. It took pretty advanced magic to get the fireworks up there.

"Yes ma'am! Jamsie is quite proud of the Slytherin table. Took us almost three hours to get all those tomatoes aligned perfectly," he chortled happily and Lily turned to look at the Slytherin tabled to see row after row of red tomatoes spread on the seats. "Remus even performed a concealing charm so none of those ickle snakes will know!"

"As much as I disapprove of this… I have to say, I'm impressed," Lily allowed herself to smile softly as she sat at the Gryffindor table.

"What is this? Lily Evans, prefect extraordinaire, appreciating one of the Marauders' finest?" Sirius gasped mockingly. Lily rolled her eyes, but laughed anyway.

"I don't approve, but it does take advanced magic to achieve all this."

"Well as long as 'advanced magic' is involved," Alice snorted sarcastically, earning a whack from Lily.

Lily looked up just in time to see James and Remus enter the hall. She allowed herself to actually look at James for the first time since the end of fifth year. He had shot up over the summer and now stood at a good six feet and three inches. Quidditch had also been good to him, and now his muscles were clearly evident under his white button up shirt. His shoulders had broadened and his hair was just as untidy as it had always been.

Lily pursed her lips, trying not to blush. Even though she hated to admit it, James Potter was quite handsome. There was something different about him as he entered the hall, though. He seemed almost… subdued. She shook her head, reminding herself that he could never change, especially not over one measly summer.

"'Morning Padfoot." James sighed, sitting at the table, across from Alice. Lily felt an odd twinge that James hadn't acknowledged her, even if he did call her by her surname. "Alice… Evans." He greeted. The twinge left, another feeling taking its place. Almost… satisfaction.

"Good morning, Potter." She said softly, lacking the usual malice she put into her words. She could feel Alice and Sirius looking at her oddly, and James just stare at her with outward shock. She never had liked to be predictable.

"Er… yes, well… Good morning." James muttered, regaining his composure.

"Kudos on the prank, by the way. Not as mischievous as usual, but it is quite brilliant." Sticking a forkful of eggs in her mouth, Alice complemented the Marauders.

"I do aim to please!" Sirius grinned and flexed his arm, a few third year girls down the table swooned loudly. James grinned and ran a hand through his hair, forcing the young girls to giggle loudly. Lily shook her head in disgust. No, those two would never change.