Taking Chances

Chapter 1: Train Ride

Lily stepped onto the familiar platform. Breathing deeply, she headed off to find her friends.

But before she could get onto the train, she was knocked over by two second years. Her trunk skittered across the cobblestones, and she herself did a non-graceful butt slide for about two feet.

A hand reached down, and Lily grabbed it, her hair covering her face. She pulled back her long hair and got her first glimpse of her 'rescuer'.

James Potter was grinning cheekily at Lily, and motioned for Sirius Black, who was behind him, to grab her trunk.

Lily tugged her hand away from James roughly, and muttered, "Thanks." She then grabbed her trunk from Sirius, said thank you to him, and stalked off.

But she called back, "Next time, keep your hands to yourself."

"Oh, so there'll be a next time?" James replied. Lily shook her head, and smiling inwardly, entered the train.

Even Lily would say she had sharp eyes. But she missed one key thing on James Potter's chest, a thing that would cause her misery for a long time coming.

Lily burst into her compartment, and collapsed onto a seat next to her friends. Black haired, bubbly, and Quidditch crazy Anya Cruthe was polishing her Quidditch Co-Captain badge, and at the same time was talking to Lily's other friend, Alanna Ross.

Alanna was blonde, blue eyed, and smart. She and Lily shared the same intellectual level, but the one flaw in that perfect friendship was that Alanna was also Quidditch crazed, like Anya. That's how Lily and Tatiana became friends. Alanna brought them together.

Alanna snatched the badge away and said, "You're going to rub the gold right off, Anya! Oh, hi Lily."

"It's nice to finally be recognized!" Lily grumbled.

Alanna continued holding the badge just out of reach, so Anya couldn't get it back. She said, "Something bothering you?"

"Yeah! Stupid Potter helped me up! He actually touched me!"

"Shut it, you're such a prude."

"I am not!"

"Shut up, both of you!" Anya said, loudly.

Lily smiled, and said, "Guys! I have great news!" Anya and Alanna looked at her like faithful puppies.

"I am Head Girl!" Anya and Alanna jumped up and hugged her and shouted at the same time, "Congrats!"

"you really deserve this, Lily!" Alanna said, hugging her tightly.

"Yeah, what she said!" Anya said, squeezing both girls to death.

"Hey! Guys, enough congratulating! I have to go to the Head meeting." Lily waved good-bye to her best friends and walked out the door.

Lily walked calmly and when she entered the Head compartment, she noticed it was empty.

"And here I was, thinking I was late!" Lily said, frustrated.

Someone behind her decided to knock her down, and actually tackled her.

"Watch it, you bugger!" Lily spat out, picking her self up. The boy got up and said, "Sorry about that. Sirius tossed me through the door."

"Wait- Potter, you do know this is the Head compartment?" James nodded brightly, almost childishly.

"And you do know this compartment is for only Head students?" James nodded, again, ignoring Lily's tone.

"Well, why don't you get out! I'm waiting for the Head Boy!" Lily said hotly. James smiled, and replied, "He's right here."

Lily gaped. "You have to be kidding!" she gasped out.

"Nope. Idiotic, isn't it?"

"Yes, idiotic, but I think you mean ironic." Lily said, exasperatedly.

"Oh, this means we'll get to work together all year long!"

"Oh, joy." Lily muttered. James grinned.

"Hey, mind if I invite my friends in?" James asked. Lily said, "It's not allowed-" but she was cut off by 3 boys charging into the compartment.

"Hey, Prongs!" Sirius said in greeting. Lily huffed as Sirius tried to sit on her.

"Sorry, Lils, didn't see you there."

"Don't call me Lils!" Lily said loudly, and stalked out of the compartment.

Then she stuck her head back into the packed area and said to James, "don't forget, we have to hold the prefect meeting in one hour."

Lily sat down heavily in her friend's compartment. Alanna was once again holding Anya's badge hostage. Lily snatched it from Alanna, but didn't hand it back to Anya.

"I'll give it back, Anya, if you promise to be more responsible with it." Anya nodded, and Alanna rolled her eyes.

"Well, that settles that, then." And Lily dropped the badge into Anya's hands.

And then they settled down for a game of Exploding Snap.

An explosion rattled the compartment door. Lily rushed outside and saw Snape and Sirius battling.

"Why, Sirius? Why Right outside MY door?" Lily shrieked. James rushed to stand next to her and said, "I'll take Sirius, you take Snape." Lily nodded curtly, not at all happy about taking orders from Potter. But now was not the time to be childish.

Lily yelled, "Expelliarmus!" at the same time James yelled it. Snape's wand flew into her hand. Sirius tried to grab his as it flew toward James, resulting in falling flat on his face.

Lily grabbed Snape's ear and said to James, "Take him to the Head compartment." James nodded, and pulled his best friend up.

Once both culprits were in the compartment, Lily faced them.

"Why the first day, you two? Well, bloody hell! It isn't even the bloody first day!" Lily shouted. James looked a little taken aback. Lily was, well, wild!

"Uh, yeah!" James said lamely. He took a breath. "Sirius! You great prick, I knew you started it. You DO remember what Dumbledore said to us about him, right!" James shouted. Sirius hung his head, abashed.

Snape smirked. Lily snapped at him, "What's so funny? James, how should we punish these two?" Lily didn't like cooperating with Potter, and his first name just slipped out!

James was a little shocked. He recovered himself and said, "Well, there are no House points to remove…"

Lily nodded. "So, is detention the only way to go?" James nodded.

"Well, then," Lily started. "We'll get back to you on that. Oh, and here's your wand, Snape."

Lily tossed his wand back to him. As Snape left, he muttered, "Mudblood." Lily grinned. "Well, Snivellus, I sure hope James didn't hear that. I bet no one on this train would want to see your dirty knickers." James and Sirius started laughing and Snape stalked out, glaring at Lily.

"Well, Lily that was… exciting." James said, walking up next to her. Lily nodded. James looked behind him and tossed Sirius his wand.

Lily began to walk out the door. James hurried and caught up. "James, stop following me!" Lily said, exasperatedly.

"I'm not. I'm going to find my friends."

"That's nice, but your friends are probably in the back. MY friends are in the front!" Lily said loudly, getting a bit frustrated.

"Yes, that's true, but my friends may have moved. Knowing that Remus has a major crush on Alanna and Peter follows Remus like a lost puppy, they're probably in your compartment." James said reasonably.

"Damn you, Potter. Your logic is irrefutable!" Lily said, half smiling. James smiled, and opened the door for Lily.

Lily walked in and sat down heavily. She was exhausted. Getting up at 5 a.m. because you're nervous is not the best way to start the day.

Remus was talking quietly to Alanna. James walked to Remus, licked his finger, and stuck it in Remus's ear. Remus jumped back, and yelled, "JAMES! You know I hate that!" Lily almost collapsed laughing. Sirius entered, talking with Anya.

"When did you leave, Anya?" Lily asked. Anya shrugged and pushed Sirius away. Alanna was laughing, and pulled out a pack of Exploding Snap.

"Hey, Lily, you have got to see what the Marauders have done to these cards!" Alanna and Lily began admiring the cards, and fell into a deep conversation about different charms and transfigurations involved in making enchanted games.

James and Sirius were talking about the previous excitement, beginning with James interrogating Sirius, then James telling off Sirius, then Sirius making a wise ass joke, then James and Sirius laughing to tears.

Anya went to check when they would arrive at the Hogwarts station, and came back with the news that they would get there in about a half hour.

The boys left the compartment while the girls changed, and then they traded places while the boys changed. Then they settled back into the previous routine, and then Lily said, "Potter, time for us to go to the front. We have to make sure everyone gets off safely."

"What could happen? I mean, some one fell down the steps- that's quite a catastrophe!" James said, sarcastically.

"A lot could happen! Remember, in fourth year, your trunk opened and the Wet-Start fireworks you had inside went off! You nearly burned my hair off." Lily argued.

"Whatever, Lils. Calm down!" James said jokingly. Sirius and Anya were listening quite openly, and Alanna and Remus were trying to be discreet.

Sirius whispered loudly, "Put Prongs and Evans in a room together and one of them is going to be dead in five minutes. Or, in Prongs' case, without the ability to procreate." Anya nodded.

"Don't call me Lils! And what're you two looking at!" Lily turned on Anya and Sirius.

"Now, er, Lily, don't um, hurt any one..." Sirius tried, unsuccessfully. Anya spoke up, "He was just teasing. We were just trying to lighten the… mood?"

Lily looked at her, calculating. "Fine. But, the train has stopped! Potter, hurry up!" The seven friends rushed out the door, trying to beat everyone to the front of the train. It would prove to be an interesting year!

Hey, I know my other story, For Crying Out Loud, went down the toilet, apparently, I've decided to go to my usual genre.

L/J fanfics RULE!

Oh, and by the way, please review!