I don't own any of this. it all belongs to J.K.Rowling. D

Part I Coming Together

Chapter 1 Hogwarts Express

It was a stormy day as the Hogwarts Express (a scarlet steam engined train) wound its way through the thick and wild countryside of Great Britain; aboard where hundreds of young, under aged, witches and wizards heading for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The train trudged along through the lashing rain like a giant red caterpillar fighting for its survival. Through the melancholy weather, the light from the windows shined outward. In one of the compartments near the end of the train, the lights flickered and then a loud explosion sounded through the air, followed closely by the unmistakable sound of laughter.

The compartment door slid open and four boys ran pell—mell out of it, roaring with laughter. One of them had long black shaggy hair and bright vivacious grey eyes.

As they tumbled into the nearest empty compartment, the boy with the sandy colored hair and bright yellow eyes told the boy with the long black hair through his laughter, "Sirius, I don't think you should have done that."

"Oh, lighten up Mooney, we're not even at school yet, and he had it coming to him." Sirius told him.

"Yeah," this time is was a messy haired boy who spoke; his hazel eyes were sparkling with tears of laughter. "Besides Mooney, do you want Snevillus to tell everyone about your 'furry little problem'?"

Remus smiled at James's reference to his condition. "He wouldn't have found out about if Sirius hadn't of told him about the Whomping Willow in the first place," he announced.

Sirius frowned, "Come on! He was going to stalk you until he saw if for himself! He would have found out about it at some point." Sirius defended himself.

Remus frowned. James lightened the conversation, afraid of where it was heading. "Look, everyone's okay, we're all alive, and Snape's not telling anyone. Dumbledore made him promise on his life that he wouldn't."

"Hey guys! Look, the trolley!" the smallest boy yelled, opening the door and pulling out some sickles from him pockets to buy some candy from the food trolley. His eyes were small and watery blue, his hair thin and blonde. His name was Peter.

"Excellent!" Sirius clapped his hands together. "I'll take three of everything!" he pulled out a whole handful of galleons and gave them to the lady pushing the trolley. Then he sat back down with his lap and pockets full of sweets. He turned to the others "So what will all you be having?"

They all laughed and shook their heads, Remus smiled, "You're unbelievable, Padfoot."

Sirius smiled as he ate his cauldron cake in one bite.

"Hey Prongs, shouldn't you be doing Head duties or something?" Remus asked him as they all sat down with their sweets and began eating.

"I did." James answered. "I walked the whole length of the train. Evans told all the prefects where they had to be and what they had to do."

Peter looked up from eating his chocolate frog, "Lily Evans is head girl!?" he exclaimed.

James shook his head in disbelief, "Wormtail, honestly, Evans was a shoe in for the post."

Sirius said through a full mouth, "Yeah, it was Prongs here that no one could understand how he got the spot of Head Boy." It was a real miracle that anyone could make out what he said.

Peter chuckled. Remus turned to James, "So, how did Miss Evans take the news that you were Head Boy this year?"

James replied, "A lot better than I expected to be honest. At first she wouldn't believe it was me, she kept telling me to give Remus back his badge. I actually had to pull out the letter that said in Dumbledore's writing that I was Head Boy this year before she believed me." Remus laughed as James continued.

"Then when she finally got over the initial shock of it all, she said that it was about time that I grew up and took some real responsibility onto my shoulders."

Sirius mocked her statement by saying, "You know, if I didn't know her better, I would say she thinks you're a little irresponsible."

Remus chuckled, "Irresponsible? How many times this boy has gotten us all into trouble I can't even keep count of anymore."

James laughed. Something red flashed past the window. He jumped up his heart skipping with a beat.

"Hey!"

"Prongs!?"

He had startled all of the boys with his sudden movement, he even caused Sirius to drop all of his sweets onto the floor. They all silenced as he slid the door open. He just barely glimpsed the retreating figure of a red haired beauty as she opened the door leading into the next train carriage and jumped across the gap as the door slid shut behind her.

His sighed as he replayed in his mind her image crossing to the next carriage over and over again. His head repeating one name over and over again.

"Lily Evans?"

"Evans." Remus confirmed Sirius's suspicions.

"Poor bloke," Sirius frowned at his best friends aching heart.

James was smiling dreamily as he leaned his head against the door. Something was telling him that this year was going to be his year. He and Lily were finally going to happen.

James sat down and then announced, "This year it's going to happen. I can feel it."

No one said anything, but they were all hoping for the same thing.