Lily Evans had just experienced the worst summer followed by the worst train ride of her life. Sure, she had been made Head Girl but the Head Boy to her Head Girl was a different story.

Lily was sitting in the annual Hogwarts feast, awaiting the Sorting to be over. She sat with her two best friends, Halle Douglas and Katy Jones. The two girls were anticipating the end of the sorting just as she was. Everyone was famished due to the long train ride.

She took a moment to analyze the friends she had made. Halle Douglas had been Lily's friend from the moment the two met on the Hogwarts Express. Halle had long, brown hair and bright chocolate brown eyes. She had a fierce temper but was a softy beneath everything. Katy Jones was a small, petite girl with thin, blonde hair. Her blue eyes held a certain sparkle and optimism that Halle and Lily's lacked.

Professor Dumbledore, an aged man with a long, silver beard and electrifying blue eyes, was prepared to make his traditional speech to the school and Lily was so hungry she actually was not looking forward to listening to it. Normally, the words of such a wise wizard interested Lily. Yet, at that precise moment in time, Lily was too frustrated to even care.

"Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts everyone. There are a few notices I wish to make. Firstly, Mr. Filch would like to repeat that Dung bombs are not allowed in the proximity. Also, to the first years and some of the older students as well, the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds. Now, would the new Head Boy and Girl meet me after the feast to discuss routines and rituals. Also, to the new Prefects, please escort your group of first years after the feast is finished and get your passwords from the Heads. Now, let the feast begin," Dumbledore said.

He raised his hands and magically the empty plates filled with the most delicious food one could imagine. Broiled chicken, sizzling platters of ham, and the widest variety of desserts in the wizarding world.

Lily helped herself to the hot food on the table and began to eat as she noticed a sickening sight. James Potter was stuffing his face, a chicken leg in one hand and a goblet of pumpkin juice in the other. At least he wasn't dripping food off his chin, unlike his best friend Sirius Black. Lily made a face of sheer disgust.

The Marauders, as they liked to call themselves, were unavoidable at the school.

The Marauders consisted of four mischievous boys who considered themselves the ultimate in pranking and dating.

James Potter seemed like the ringleader of the whole charade. James was a touchy subject to talk about in front of Lily. Their history alone was enough to make Lily nauseous. There was something about the dismissive way James acted that seemed to spark Lily's nerves and make her blood broil. James was a tall boy, who was Seeker for the Quidditch team, and had untidy, black hair that was useless to manage. He actually preferred it that way as it gave him that messy off-the-broom look the girls loved. Well, all the girls except the girl he actually fancied. Lily thought he was a conceited prat who bullied people for no reason. That is part of the reason why she despised the idea of James Potter as Head Boy. She knew he was just going to break the rules and give detention to his enemies and even encourage misconduct.

Sirius Black helped encourage such behavior. He gladly took the glory of tying with James for holding the most detentions. Sirius was an excellent student but didn't apply himself to the real world. Studying and homework was a waste of time to him. He could be pranking Slytherins or snogging girls in the broom closet. Yes, Sirius Black was a Hogwarts heart throb, but according to Lily, he was just a pain in the rear. He was Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team this year, alongside James Potter, which Lily knew upset her friend Halle. Halle hated Sirius with a passion for all the same reasons Lily hated James. He was unbearable to be around. Therefore, Halle hated Quidditch and basically anything associated with Sirius. Lily thought of Halle and Sirius' relationship as peculiar. Sirius adored Halle for all the wrong reasons, lust, and Halle hated Sirius for all the right reasons. Their rivalry seemed to nearly match that of which Lily and James had created over the years.

Remus Lupin was the third member of the infamous Marauders. He was the more responsible guy of the four and was the more likely candidate for Head Boy as he had been Gryffindor Prefect since fifth year. Lily respected Remus more out of all of the boys, but after years of watching him sit back and allow Sirius and James to get away with so much, the respect faded. It was also known that he had a slight crush on Lily's friend Katy, and Katy was madly in love with Remus. Lily had no idea why the two of them never got together but it wasn't her place to play matchmaker.

Peter Pettigrew, a chubby un-extraordinary boy, looked extremely out of place with three of Hogwarts somebody's that it was hard to believe he even belonged. Yet, after all the years at Hogwarts, the Marauders remained a foursome instead of a trio. Apparently Peter must have had some good qualities, but what exactly was beyond Lily.

Lily was proud to say that she wasn't one of those obsessive girls who worshipped the Marauders every chance she could get. No, she Lily Evans was an authority figure who chose to make something of herself. She wasn't ugly but she wasn't remarkably pretty. Her auburn hair set her apart from the rest of the girls at Hogwarts and her almond shaped green eyes seemed to ignite when her temper rose. Why exactly James Potter liked her wasn't apparent at all but Lily figured that was because he couldn't have her. He always loved a challenge.

"So Lily love, when're we going to get started on those kids?" James asked, in-between bites. She had the misfortune of being seated in the same compartment as him on the train, being seated in the same carriage as him, and now being seated directly across from him at a meal.

"I think I've lost my appetite," she answered faintly. Lily pushed away her half eaten plate and noticed that Sirius started grabbing off of it. She turned to talk to Halle to distract her from the monster she was forced to work with all year.

"So, how was your summer?" she asked.

"Well, my parents were off on vacation, as usual. Sometimes I think they forget they have a daughter. They're either working or off in Bermuda spending their money away. It's sickening really," Halle reminisced.

"What about you Katy?" Lily asked, turning to her other friend.

"Well, let's see, my two twin brothers tormented me the whole time. But I did meet this really cute boy in Africa, when we went on a trip there. He was nice but the whole language barrier may have been an issue," Katy said.

"You think?" Halle asked sarcastically.

"That's ok though, I like someone else," Katy said dreamily. Her blue eyes received a glossed over tint that kicked in whenever a certain Marauder was in her presence.

"Remus," Halle whispered behind Katy's back. Lily laughed.

"I missed you guys so much this summer. Petunia's getting married to that awful man, Vernon. I don't know what she sees in him. But, whenever he was over she made comment as to how I was delusional. Annoying most of the time," Lily reflected, grumbling at the very thought of her sister.

"Ok, Prefects, would you please escort the First Years to their Common Room," Dumbledore said.

"That's my cue," Lily announced, standing from the table.

"Mine too," Katy said, as she had just replaced Lily as Gryffindor Prefect after Lily had been made Head Girl.

"This should be fun," Lily groaned as she saw James and Remus stand up. James followed quickly behind her as they headed for Professor Dumbledore's office.

Lily walked on one side of the hall, trying to steer clear of being near Potter.

James grinned at the sight of his beloved Lily.