That's Life

g.c. smores

disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and related characters. Although i do own...Gwyn, Dia, Jenn and others i haven't introduced yet.

ok. this is my first ever fic, so be kind. don't hurt me! just read and review, even if it is horrible. i thought it was ok. it was just lacking a plot, but it will thicken as the story goes on....promise! so without further ado....here's .....

That's life!

1.- Bittersweet Return

It was the first of September. I groaned at the alarm clock in my room. I was so glad to be leaving the house and my sister's insults and go to my true home, but wasn't anxious to do it at 6:00 in the morning. I was also very excited because that summer I was made Head Girl of Hogwarts. My parents were ecstatic, but that only gave my sister a new nickname for me, "Head Freak". King's Cross was 3 and half hours away from my "home", so we had to leave early. We got to the station and I was glad to be going back. But then I realized, new school term meant.....

"POTTER!" I yelled as I made it through the barrier. My trolley was at platform 9 and ¾ but all the while, it was zooming at a rapid speed in the air, getting increasingly higher in front of me. I couldn't go to the Head's Compartment without my trunk. Potter reluctantly lowered it while his three friends kept laughing and said, "Evans, you get more amusing everyday. Will you go to Hogsmeade with me?" I rolled my eyes and said "No, Potter. I won't. I won't now, and not ever if you continue to play these pranks on me."

Let me explain. James Potter and his 3 friends were the banes of my existence ever since I entered Hogwarts. He, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew were 4 best friends who called themselves the Marauders. The name probably had something to do with Potter's and Sirius's need to prank; I never became a friend enough to ask. They were the most popular guys at Hogwarts and drove me nuts on a regular basis.

James had messy, jet black hair that he was always making messier and hazel eyes with a mischievous glint. He asked me out repetitively, and the answer was always the same but with different reasons, NO.

Sirius had shaggy black hair that made him resemble a dog, more or less. And had grey-blue eyes with this look he gave that seemed to show an "I know something that you don't know!" attitude, which gave him the official "prankster of the group" status.

Remus was the dependable, smart one. He was made prefect in 5th year (along with me) and has been keeping them in the line of the law. Basically, Remus kept them from getting faced with expulsion.

And Peter was the shy, quiet one. He was never a great wizard and often got help from the other three. I couldn't understand why he was their friend, but was nicer to him and Remus nonetheless.

I stormed into the Head's Compartment, frustrated because of the Marauders' prank. To regain my composure I kept thinking "This is your last year dealing with them. In two years they'll be out of your sight." And I smiled at that thought. I had never dreamt that I would be stuck with one of them to the day I died.

I then brushed off the thoughts of them and grew excited as I waited for the Head Boy and the new 5th and 6th year prefects. Just then, Potter storms in. I say to him, "Potter, you must be lost. This is the HEAD'S COMPARTMENT. Not the GIT'S COMPARTMENT!" I was pleased to make a joke of him whenever I could.

"No, I'm not. I'm this year's Head Boy." I laughed. I thought he was joking. Dumbledore didn't make ANYONE Head Boy or Girl. So I replied in disbelief, "Give that badge back to Remus or whoever you stole it from!" and without another word, looking dead serious; he showed me.

On the side of the two seats in front of the rows of the other ones, obviously made for Head Boy and Girl, were 4 words. On my seat was Lily Evans, Head Girl and on his was James Potter, Head Boy. The train doesn't lie;I was shocked to say the least. I fainted. I just couldn't believe it. James Potter was Head Boy.

Three hours later, or so it seemed; I woke up. I saw a large head with black hair and hazel eyes. I screamed. "JAMES!" Potter looked surprised, and chuckled. "That's the first time you have EVER called me James." He said, thoughtfully. I was fully aware of that. I did it in shock; it was a slip of my tongue. I didn't expect to see Potter; I thought I was going to see my best friend, Gwyneth Sutherland. She said she was going to come by to the Head's Compartment to get me later, so I expected her to come by and get me; even when I was unconscious. "Yeah, I know. I was shocked. I thought Gwyn was going to come by to the compartment. Sorry."

"That's alright, Lils."

"One slip of my tongue isn't going to break the habit, Potter. So, DO NOT call me that!"

"Ok, EVANS; as you wish."

"Good. So how'd you get to be Head Boy anyway?" This was the first time I ever got to regularly TALK with him. It wasn't everyday you find that your "enemy" is actually nice after all.

"No idea, Evans. Frankly, I dunno how Dumbledore thinks I am fit for the job. I'm supposed to break rules, not enforce them." I laughed at the joke, he was ALWAYS joking, but that was the first time I laughed at them, though. He noticed because he widened his eyes. I think I was changing too much towards him to his liking.

"Glad you think its funny, Evans. No point asking how you got here. You're always perfect." he said I blushed at the compliment he gave. Taking it for what he said, and not as a joke. I was beginning to think of why I hated him so much, I mean. He was SO nice...... when he wasn't being a git.

"Thanks. So where are the prefects?" I asked. I was ALWAYS about work.

"I gave them their intros to you and me while you were down and sent them off patrolling the aisles. Sorry if you wanted to be the boss." He said sarcastically. EVERYONE knew I could be bossy.

Now I chuckled. "No thanks, I much rather you boss them around for me!" I said jokingly. We were getting along so well. I knew my anger and resentment had vanished when I saw him this year. He looked more grown up. I knew he had changed when he lowered my trolley instead of laughing and pointing like his friends. I just didn't know how much.

(James's point of view)

I made Lily laugh 3 times. And she actually talked to me. I dunno what happened to her over this summer, but she has at least changed her attitude towards me. That's good news because then she won't feel odd about us sharing a dorm. It's a known fact of Hogwarts that the Head Boy and Girl share a dorm that has one bedroom for each and a shared common-ish living room. At least it's known for everyone that read "Hogwarts: A History" by Bathilda Bagshot. Not that I'm saying I did or anything....

So when she actually made a joke back to me, I suggested that we go back to our friends and talk to them and stuff and then change because the train had about 2 hours to go until we got to the mysterious castle that we all loved. I said, "Hey Lily, shouldn't we go to our friends now? We have been here for a long time and Gwyn hasn't come yet. And if we want to see our friends, we better go because we don't have much time left." She nodded. So I led her out of the compartment and opened the door gesturing for her to go. She nodded her thank you and as she got out of the compartment she slid into my arms. She lost her footing because of the door, she said. I was happy to have her in my arms nonetheless. I helped her back up and could tell she was embarrassed so I didn't say another word. I just went to the second to last compartment to see the Marauders who gave me wide-eyed expressions as they saw Lily go on to her friends' compartment. "NOTHING HAPPENED! And yes, she is Head Girl." I exclaimed before anyone could ask me any questions. I let the subject drop. I thought that despite my thoughts and feelings for her, Lily would probably only want to be friends at the most and nothing more. My best friends let it go too; I was very thankful because even Sirius kept his mouth shut, which almost never happened. Sirius could be such a pain sometimes because of his need to pry and poke into everyone's lives. I didn't say another word the whole way to Hogwarts.