The Way it's supposed to be

Chapter One

Smoke billowed out as the Hogwarts Express huffed through the countryside. Lily sat down in a carriage near the front of the train with her friends she had made that year. She ran her finger through her shoulder length red gold hair. She shared a grin with her closest friend, Alice Moore. Alice had short black hair with deep brown eyes. She was sweet, kind and well-natured. Next to Alice sat Sophia, she had bright blue eyes and dirty blonde hair.

"Kind of sad the holidays are here," Sophia said.

"Yeah, but at least we're going home," Alice replied.

"Cheer up, Lily," Hannah said, as Lily sighed. "I'm sure Petunia will have calmed down by now." Hannah was the last of the close friends; she had beautiful hazel eyes flecked with green and long curly tan hair. Petunia had been really upset when she realised Lily was going to be away from home for months at a time. She got sulky every time Lily had mentioned Hogwarts.

"I do hope so," Lily said sadly. "But it's not just that. Mum has planned out a whole load of parties I have to go to this summer. And as usual, they'll be no fun."

"Parties?" Alice asked. "Parties are the best."

"Not this type of party…" Lily said, "All they are are old people and chatting."

"So, girls, how've you found Hogwarts?" Alice asked. Lily, Sophia and Hannah were all muggleborn and had no previous knowledge of the school before their acceptance.

"Amazing," all three said cheerfully.

"Chocolate frog, anyone?" Sophia offered. The chocolate was passed around.

Lily was from a rich family, who were very high in the muggle world. She knew her entire summer would be spent in visiting social gatherings with her parents.

"So, Lily, do you think you can cope with another six years of James Potter in the same house as us?" Hannah asked.

Lily grimaced. Over the past year, Lily's relationship with the boy in question had gone from bad to worse. Lily found James to be an egotistical, stuck up prat. James thought Lily was a know-it-all smartass. "I hadn't thought of that," she said quietly.

The other girls laughed at Lily's reaction to their classmate. They thought Lily overreacted to James. They found him to be nice, clever, amusing and reasonably attractive. They couldn't understand why Lily disliked him so much.

Two carriages along sat four young boys. James Potter leant arrogantly back against his seat and ruffled his hair.

"… and Evans just turned to glare at you, didn't she, Prongs?" Sirius told a story to the other Marauders. Sirius was the new school heartthrob. He had long, dark hair and deep, grey eyes. "I thought she was gonna curse you."

James smiled, "oh, Evans loves me, Padfoot."

"Keep telling yourself that, Prongs," Sirius laughed.

"Yeah, but it's not like you could have any more chance with her, Padfoot, mate," James teased.

They settled into a comfortable silence, James thinking about his summer. He loved being home, but he always knew most of his evenings would be spent at parties, talking to friends of his parents that he didn't like. He found the type of parties they went to very boring. And he hated wearing his dress robes. Sure, he loved his parents… but sometimes he wished they weren't so important in the wizarding world.

"Hey, Prongs," Sirius started. "You wanna go and annoy Evans?"

"Yeah," James said, "I'd like that."

The two boys shared a grin, while Remus shook his head. "I'm staying here," he said. "Aww, Moony, we have weeks to complete those essays," James said.

"Well I want to get a head start," Remus replied, "then I'll have the rest of the summer to hang out."
"Boring sod," Sirius said, in a teasing tone. "Hey, Pete, you coming?" he asked.

The plump boy nodded.

"Let's go," James said.

They walked quietly down the edge of the train, looking in the carriages for the redhead. They paused to wave to a few of their other classmates. They finally found where Lily, Sophia, Alice and Hannah were.

"Hey, girls," Sirius greeted, "how are you all this fine day?"

Lily rolled her eyes and turned away sulkily. The other girls giggled, while James frowned at her reaction.

"Yeah, Prongs," Sirius said, snickering, "Evans loves you!"

James poked his tongue out and sat next to Lily. "What's up, Evans?"

"Oh, I dunno, the sky, maybe?" she asked rhetorically, rolling her eyes and folding her arms over her chest.

"Aww, come on, Evans… that's not even funny. And here was good, old, little me asking what was wrong," he ended with a pout. He put his arm around her shoulder and grinned at her.

She pushed his arm away, "shove off, Potter."

He ruffled his hair, "come on, Evans."

He pulled at her hair gently and she growled. "Potter," she snarled, "I have enough problems of my own, without worrying about you. Now get out!"

The three boys took her advice and left the carriage, James sulking about how much she hated him.

"But, Mum…" James whined as his mother pulled his dress robes out of his wardrobe. "I want to stay in tonight."

It was two weeks since the end of term and as suspected, Lily and James had spent their entire time at parties with their parents.

"Tonight is a very important party, James," his mother said sternly. "Your father is meeting with a top muggle business man, to discuss a very important matter."

James growled slightly, "why does dad always have someone to meet?"

"It comes with being a top business man," Meg replied. "I'm going to get dressed. I trust you don't need me to put your dress robes on for you."

"No, Mum," James shook his head.

"Oh, and James…" she said, pausing at his bedroom door.

"Yes, Mum?"

"Please try to do something with your hair."

"Yes, Mum."

He sighed, pulling his muggle clothes over his head and putting on his dark dress robes. He grabbed a comb and attempted to brush his wild locks straight. It didn't work. He groaned; he'd probably have another lecture from his mother about messy hair and parties.

He walked slowly down the stairs and into the living room, where Megan and Richard were waiting for him.

"Ready, son?" Richard asked.

"Yes, Dad."

"Oh, James, your hair…" his mother said, looking at him in horror.

"I know, Mum, I tried." He looked at her in earnest.

She was making that strange tutting noise again.

"Leave it, Meg," his father said, "we'll be late if we don't go now."

His mother nodded, and he followed his parents, reluctantly out the door.

"Lily, have you found your shoes yet?" Anna Evans called.

"Yes, Mum… they were under my bed," Lily Evans sighed, checking her reflection in the mirror.

"Mum, I lost my hair slide," Petunia yelled down the stairs.

"It was in with your make-up last time I saw it, honey," Anna said.

"Thanks, Mum," the younger of the two Evans children replied.

Lily put on a light layer of eye-shadow and some lip-gloss.

"Girls, stop pruning," David bellowed.

"Almost done," Lily promised, running to grab her shoes. She put them on and checked her reflection in the mirror one last time. Her hair was loose and straight down her back. She was wearing a knee-length, crimson-red dress, which matched her hair. Her shoes were silver, with very small heels.

She walked out onto the landing, where her younger sister, Petunia, was standing. She gave her sister a brief hug. "You look pretty," Lily told Petunia.

Petunia's dress was also knee length. It was metallic, deep purple with flowers sown into the bodice. She had a pair of black heels on and her dark brown hair was left running down her back. Petunia had their father's genes of brown hair and green eyes, while Lily had her mother's red hair and father's eyes. Their mother's eyes were a deep grey.

"Thanks, Lil. You look great too," the two sisters shared a smile.

"We better go before Mum and Dad start getting stroppy," Lily said, and Petunia giggled.

"Lily, tell me about Hogwarts again," Petunia said softly.

Lily grinned, as they walked down the stairs and launched into the story once again.

Big thanks to Cool-Mulle for getting me up off my arse to write this! :) I love you, cariad!

Reviews please!

Love JLF xoxo