Chapter 2: Unfortunate Circumstances

James Potter turned away from the note he was reading when he heard the door of the Head Compartment open. He looked up to smile charmingly at his fellow Head Girl, but before he could see her the door slammed shut. James sighed. Only one girl would ever do that to him. Two if one was counting Meadowes, but he knew it was not her who was on the other side. Although his stomach was somersaulting with glee as he opened the door, James knew that this would be a very trying year.

"Are you coming in, Evans?" he asked dryly, trying hard not to laugh at the look of horror on her face.

Lily could not believe what she was seeing. James Potter was Head boy. James Potter, who never paid attention in class, who had (along with Black) received more detentions than anyone who had ever previously attended Hogwarts, who, above all, she could not stand, was Head Boy. Lily let out a funny moan and entered the compartment. She stood very still for a few moments trying to comprehend the situation. There was a silence thick enough to be cut with a knife as the two Heads faced each other, one smirking and one gaping.

"Oh, God, why, why, why," Lily groaned. "How on EARTH did you become Head Boy?"

James grinned cockily.

"No idea. Dumbledore must have his reasons, though. Maybe he thinks that we need to spend more time together."

He raised an eyebrow at her, but immediately lowered it after seeing a look that said don't-even-think-about-it on her face.

"Kill me now," she cried. "Smote me with a thunderbolt, or maybe even a flying ice-cream truck, hell, smote me any way you'd like, just do it quickly!"

"Now, really, Evans, don't you think you're being a tad over-dramatic? You may learn to like me if you gave me a chance," he said.

"I'm still waiting for that lightening bolt!" Lily yelled as her eyes rose expectantly towards the heavens.

James rolled his eyes and thrust the letter into her hands.

"Read that. It outlines our duties and says that we have to meet with Dumbledore occasionally to discuss stuff."

Lily's emerald green eyes scanned the parchment furiously. She soon learned that not only would she have to patrol hallways and supervise the prefects with Potter, she would also be required to attend meetings to discuss plans for the school with the prefects, as well as meetings with Dumbledore. She threw down the note and faced James with her hands on her hips.

"Do not mess this up for me, Potter. I'm warning you now. Do not mess this up for me!"

She jabbed her finger at his chest and glowered over him. Her severity caused the poor boy to be a bit frightened, and he nodded meekly.

"Your wish is my command, Evans."

~*~*~*~

Sirius hummed a random tune as he made his way through the train's sitting areas. Peter was following clumsily, practically running to keep up with his friend's long strides. He watched half-jealously and half-amazedly as Sirius received several greetings from people he obviously did not know, and how herd after herd of girls whispered in a sort of feverish excitement or burst into fits of giggles as they passed.

"Hello, Sirius," a Hufflepuff in their year said seductively, wrapping an arm around his neck. "Did you miss me over the summer?"

He flashed an equally seductive smile at her, and replied

"You have no idea, Angela."

The girl's face contorted with rage and she quickly removed her arm from his neck.

"My name is AMANDA, you cheating piece of scum!" she shrieked angrily.

The girl burst into tears and ran away, leaving Sirius red in the face and grinning embarrassedly.

"At least that's over. I can't stand her voice," he said, shuddering as he entered the last compartment.

Here he found Remus laughing and Dorcas covered in soot with pieces of some sort of white, smoldering paper falling softly around her or in her hair like snow.

"Oh put a cork in it, Lupin, if it had been you to put the last card on, you'd be in my state," she snapped, but not like the way she snapped at Sirius.

This was more of a friendly snapping. Remus managed to stifle his laughter.

"What did you do, blow up your homework?" asked Sirius.

Dorcas finally took notice of him and Peter, and blushed ever so slightly.

"I'm not that thick," she said, muttering a charm to remove the grime. "It was Exploding Snap."

"Where's James?" Peter questioned scanning the room jerkily.

"In the Head Compartment with Lily," Remus answered, his eyes twinkling.

Sirius guffawed until his stomach hurt at the irony of the situation.

"We'll have to carry him out in a body bag if they're to stay together for the whole trip," he exclaimed.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you had to," said Dorcas as she gathered her things. "See you at the castle, Remus."

"Why are you leaving?" asked Sirius.

"Do I really have to answer that?"

"What, you can't stand two minutes in the same room as me?"

"I can. I just choose not to."

"You're being incredibly childish."

Dorcas's sapphire eyes flashed angrily at him. How dare he call her immature?

"You're not exactly Mr. Maturity yourself, Black. Why are you making this into such a big deal? What's it to you if I stay or go? It certainly never mattered before!"

ÒEr,Ó said Remus, glancing at Peter. ÒDÕyou reckon we ought to leave them to it?Ó

The smaller boy nodded fervently, and the boys left the compartment unnoticed. However, even they did not notice the faint click that sounded after they shut the door behind them.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sirius demanded angrily.

"Bloody hell, Black, do you really want to spend the entire train ride fighting with me?" she exclaimed angrily as she pushed past him to open the door.

Dorcas pushed the door, but it remained shut. She tried once again and then tried the Alohomora Charm, but her efforts were in vain. She paled slightly and then turned to the boy, still glaring at her.

"It's locked."

"Locked? What do you mean itÕs locked?"

"Well, you see, Black, this here is a door. Normally, doors open and close to allow admittance into rooms. Most unfortunately in this case, the door remains closed when I attempt to open it. This means that the door is locked!"

Dorcas used the same patronizing and sardonic tone that Sirius had used earlier that day on the platform.

"Thank you, Meadowes, that was most enlightening. Now while you were speaking so eloquently, did it ever occur to you to use Alohomora?"

"I'm not stupid, Black."

"Could have fooled me!"

Dorcas let out a roar of frustration. She could not believe that she was locked in a train compartment with Sirius Black. How could this have happened? Who would do this to her?

"You're right. It is locked," said Sirius as he pocketed his wand. "I bet it was Snivellus. Evil git! What do you think, Moony?" Sirius looked around the compartment. ÒOh, bloody hell! No way!Ó

He pounded his fist on the door. A second later, he heard his friend trying to slide it open, but failed.

ÒPadfoot?Ó called RemusÕ voice. ÒPadfoot itÕs locked.Ó

ÒI KNOW that!Ó said Sirius, frustrated. ÒDid you lock me in here with Meadowes?Ó

ÒNo!Ó came the honest reply from across the wooden barricade. ÒIÕm going to try to figure out how to get you two out of there though!Ó

Dorcas elbowed Sirius out of the way to talk.

ÒToo right you are!Ó she called. ÒAnd please, please, PLEASE hurry! I canÕt stand the entire train ride with Black!Ó

ÒYea, same goes for me, Moony! Besides, IÕm supposed to meet Andrea Drominedsky at one today! I CANÕT miss that!Ó Sirius urged, but then he turned, grinning at Dorcas. ÒUnless of course, youÕd like to have her spot. I think I could manage to-Ò

ÒLUPIN! HURRY!Ó Dorcas yelled.

~*~*~*~

Lily jumped at the sound of knocking on the door after spending the past quarter of an hour in an uncomfortable silence with James. She was hoping with all her heart that it would be Dorcas, although Lily would have been pleased to see just about anyone at this point, even Severus Snape. She hastily opened the door only to find the plump little witch who pushed the food trolley.

"Anything to eat, dear?"

"Yes please," Lily said as she paid for a large amount of Pumpkin Pasties.

"What about your friend? Do you want to wake him up and ask?"

Lily turned to find James fast asleep, head lolling up and down. I could always say that he doesn't want anything and let him spend the train ride hungry, she contemplated, but then shook her head. No. That would be stooping to his level. Lily sighed and walked over to the sleeping boy. She leaned in close so that her mouth was right by his ear. Lily took a deep breath, and then-

"POTTER! WAKE UP NOW!"

James awoke with a start and grabbed the girl's wrist. He looked wildly around the room and then spotted Lily, doubled over with laughter beside him.

"Christ, Evans! What do you think you're playing at? I think my eardrum has exploded!" James groaned, hitting his ear.

"I woke you up because she thought you might want a bit of food. And let go of my wrist. Now," said Lily as she composed herself.

James dropped her wrist reluctantly and sped over to the food cart. After selling him a generous amount of snacks, the witch left the compartment. The two ate in silence for a while, and the only sound heard was the zipping about of the golden Snitch that James had stolen in fifth year. He was currently letting it go and then suddenly catching it.

"So," he ventured after a while, apparently bored with the Snitch. "Did you have a nice holiday?"

Lily, about to take a bite of a pasty, was so surprised that she missed her mouth and ended up with an eyeful o f pasty. James raised an eyebrow at her as she wiped her eye with the back of her sleeve.

"What has gotten into you, Potter?" she asked, dazed.

James was taken aback.

"What do you mean? Is inquiring about your holidays a crime now?"

"I find it a tad odd that you've taken such an interest in my holidays, seeing as the only reason you've bothered to talk to me these past five years is to ask me out."

"I just figured that since we're going to be working together this year, we might as well get to know each other," said James as he held out a dark red Every Flavor Bean. "Want one?"

"What flavor is it?" Lily asked suspiciously. "How do I know its not blood or brick?"

James rubbed his eyes in exasperation.

"Fine, I'll eat half of it and you eat half of it. That way, if it's something disgusting, I'll get punished as well. That'd please you, wouldn't it?"

Now it was Lily's turn to be startled, startled by the faint hint of coldness in his tone. Did he really think that she was that terrible?

"Fine," she answered, popping half of the bean into her mouth and chewing for a few seconds.

"Mmm," said James. "I think its cherry."

Lily's eyes grew wide in horror and she spit the bean into her hand, but it was too late. Hives were already appearing across her face, arms, and hands. She screamed in fury, causing James to nearly jump out of his skin.

"POTTER YOU IMBECILE!" she roared. "I'm ALLERGIC to cherries!"

"Well how was I supposed to know it was cherry flavored?" James exclaimed angrily, but it was too late.

Lily had already stormed out of the compartment, head in her hands.