Disclaimer: Yes, I do own nothing. Sigh.

Falling asleep with wet hair was probably one of the worst things I could do, I thought, running a brush through the strands of my slightly damp hair. If only I could use magic. If I was in Hogwarts, this wouldn't be a problem at all, I could just stick a wand to my head, say a simple incantation, and my hair would be dry and perfectly styled to my preference. Or if I was still friends with Severus, I could easily walk to his house and fix my hair with magic there, provided I avoided contact with his parents.

Ugh, that hurt, thinking of Severus today, of all days. Every September 1st he would come over and get a ride from us (because the Snapes didn't have a car), and we'd spend the whole car ride eating home-made sandwiches and telling jokes while my parents worked on the crossword from the newspaper. It was tradition, and this would be the first time in five years we wouldn't do it.

With a melancholy sigh, I settled for a braid, then changed into a pair of violet and lime plaid shorts and a matching purple tank top with sparkly beading around the neck line. Once my appearance was done, I went over my book and other check lists. I had everything except for Hogwarts, A History. It wasn't actually necessary for the year, but it was one of my favourites. It was very nostalgic; it was the first Wizarding book I ever read.

"Mum!" I cried, running room to room. "Mum?"

"I'm in here, Lily," I heard from the sun room. "What would you like?" She looked up from her newspaper and slid her reading glasses to the end of her nose. She and Petunia were very similar, they had the same curly blonde hair and face structure, but Petunia had dad's height. I had dad's eyes and expressions, with Mum's mouth. My red hair was totally unique in my family. Petunia once tried convinced me I was adopted, and because of this, I believed her.

"Where's my Hogwarts, A History book?" She gave me a funny look, that after six years, I knew very well. "It's a hardcover dark blue book with gold writing."

"I haven't seen it in a while. Have you, David?"

He shook his head. "Have you checked the drawer under the window seat?" he suggested. That's where mum put all the odds and ends she found while cleaning the house.

Sure enough, it was there. I placed it in its designated spot in my trunk then closed it. "Okay, I'm ready to go," I announced, dragging my trunk down the stairs and joining them at the table. Dad checked his watch.

"We still have fifteen minutes until we have to leave. Have you eaten yet?" I shook my head.

"I'm not that hungry now. I'll get something from the trolley."

"Here," offered Mum, putting a couple pieces of warm, buttery toast on my plate. "You should eat something now. All they have on the train are sweets and pastries. I'd hate to think that your breakfast will be jelly beans or something."

"Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Jelly Beans. There's bound to be a bacon and egg flavor," I corrected, taking a bite of toast anyway. I picked up a knife and started to spread some marmalade on it. "Is Petunia coming with us?" Not likely, but there was a good enough chance of it to ask.

"We're dropping her off at Vernon's mother's house in London." Per usual, my parents switched their papers; dad always read the sport section first, while mum read the current events, then they switched and read the other half. Then they would work on the crossword together.

I sat in a thoughtful silence for a minute, chewing on my toast. I lifted my dad's arm to check his watch. "We have to go now. Can I go get Petunia?"

"Go ahead. Tell her that we're late though, that's the only way we can get her in the car on time," said Mum.

I ran through the hall and up the stairs. "Petunia! We're twenty minutes late! We need to go now!" I heard some hurried steps and a couple of curses before her bedroom door flew open.

"Really? Twenty minutes?" she asked hurriedly, struggling to put on her other pink heel. "Mrs. Dursley is expecting me at quarter after. What she is going to think if I'm late! What if she tells Vernon not to marry me?" Petunia ran down the stairs with the back of her head all tangled and her eye liner smudged, struggling to move her legs in her tweed pencil skirt. I grabbed her makeup bag and brush from her bathroom before going down stairs. I slowly put on my shoes, and then joined her in the car.

"Here you go," I said, handing her all her stuff.

"Why are you giving me this?" snapped Petunia. "What are you doing with all my make-up? You're not bringing it to your school or something?"

I frowned. "You look like a total mess, and we have an hour car ride. Do the math, Petunia," I answered coldly. I threw the stuff on her lap. She didn't have to be so ungrateful; I didn't have to bring her stuff with me. "Oh, by the way, it's 9: 45."

Dad and Mum got into the car, cheerful and bright. Mum had two crossword books along with the one from the newspaper, accompanied by a pen and whiteout (though they didn't need it). "All right everyone? Got everything you need?"

We nodded, though Petunia looked a bit sullen. "You know, you could have told me the actual time. I'm hardly even ready yet."

"You would have taken ages unless we lied, honey," said Mum sweetly. Petunia made a snorting noise. "I'm looking for a 9 letter word meaning 'unlikely to harm or offend'." Mum started to bite on the end of the pen. "Oh, and it starts with an I. Second and third letters are Ns."

"How about – innocuous?" I asked, racking my brain. Mum checked her crossword.

"Oh, good job Lily! Excellent."

"I would've never gotten that!" added Dad. I blushed, trying to look modest. Petunia sent me a death-glare.

I got out of the car and grabbed my trunk. My parents got out of the car as well. "Bye Mum," I said, giving her a hug. She kissed me on the cheek.

"Do you have everything you need? Do you have all your books? And you know there's going to be a dance at Christmas; did you remember your dress?"

"Yes, Mum. Don't worry, I have everything I need. I checked four times." She nodded with tears in her forget-me-not eyes. It was amazing how kind those could look on her, and how cold and distant they could look on Petunia.

I hugged my dad. "Bye. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Lil' Flower. Send us a letter every month."

"No, every week," corrected Mum. "And try to get one of the good school owls. I remember the last one went to the bathroom on the new chair in the living room. It was a huge mess."

I laughed. "OK. I'll see you at Christmas. Love you!" I turned and walked to the station. "See you too, Petunia!"

I heard Lily's laugh from across the parking lot.

"Is that her?" Mum asked, following my gaze. Mum knew all about Lily because of the guys, blabbing to her about all my attempts at asking her out. Like any mother would, she thought that Lily was completely crazy not to fancy me, and that soon in the future she would be head over heels for me.

Lily looked absolutely stunning. The dark purple of her shirt made her creamy skin look like ivory, and her shimmering eyes looked even more green than usual. She must've been happy, her eyes always looked like that when she was happy.

I nodded, bending down to Mum's height. We hugged quickly, and she kissed me on the cheek.

"I'll miss you, James. The house is going to be so empty without you and the Marauders around to keep me company. I'll be all alone."

"Hey, you have friends don't you?" I said with a smile. "Create a book club or something."

I didn't hear her answer; I was caught up with Lily again. Her dad just called her "Lil' Flower". I had a feeling that I'd be using that nickname sometime soon.

"James? Are you in there?" Mum waved her hand in front of my face with some difficulty. She smiled when she saw what I was looking at. She sighed affectionately. "Ah, how cute. I suppose you would like to walk with her to the platform?"

I nodded. "Well, get going then. And I expect an owl every week!"

I grabbed my trunk and ran to catch up with Lily, (ignoring the laugh I heard as she was closing the car door) who was now on Platform 7.

"All right, Lil' Flower!" She turned around smiling, but quickly frowned when she saw it was me.

"What do you want, Potter?" said Lily irritably. I think I just ruined her good mood. Oh well, what can you do? I might as well just annoy her now, as she already hates me.

"I was just saying hi. Is that a crime?" She shook her head and started to walk away.

"So, what's with the nickname?" I asked. Lily blushed.

"What nickname?"

"Lil' Flower," I answered. She flushed a deeper scarlet. You'd think it would clash with her hair pretty badly, but she looked amazing when she did that.

"It's what my dad calls me. It's extremely embarrassing, so only he alone can say it." She stepped closer to me, so we were only about a foot apart. "Got it?"

"You threatening me, Evans? You look very sexy when you threaten. You should do it more often." She sighed angrily and picked up her trunk. She sent another glare at me, and then she ran into the platform. I smiled and went after her.

With only five minutes until the train left the station, most of the people on the platform were parents, their kids already on the train. I noticed Sirius' mum and dad standing in the back, trying to avoid all the Muggle mums and dads. Walburga saw me as well, and I waved. She responded with a deep frown, which actually meant she was quite delighted, I think. His dad, Orion, was busy scowling at some parents that were obviously Muggles. I noticed a couple more relatives of Sirius, all of them wearing black clothes and making a disgusted face whenever a Muggles passed.

When I got on the train, rather than sitting with the Marauders, I found the seat with Lily's friends. They liked me, I think. At least they didn't protest when they saw me, they just kind of looked at me. Wilhelmina Dawson, who was also on the Gryffindor Quidditch team with me, started to discuss the France's win on the August 4th match, but one of her other friends interrupted.

"So Jamsie," said Siobhan, batting her eyelashes. She was the one Sirius snogged at the end of the year, and she was as much as a flirt as he was, "how was your summer?"

"Oh, don't try that on James, Siobhan. You have a boyfriend, remember?" Will said, glaring at her.

"Hey, hey. I know I do, and he is perfectly marvelous. I was just asking an innocent question. Anyway, James is strictly Lily's, whether she wants him or not."

I laughed. "I'm glad we're all on the page."

There was a surprise waiting in store for me when I got back from the Prefects' meeting. Potter was sitting with Mary, apparently having a nice chat.

I gave Mary a dirty look and sat down next to Potter, because Mary had managed to put her whole trunk in the seat next to her, and had her feet up in the other seat. Mary smiled angelically, today accessorizing with a dark purple. Potter too, smirked and moved a bit closer to me. I frowned.

"Where are Siobhan and Will?" I asked.

"Will went to say hi to her cousin, Siobhan went to snog Will's cousin."

I smiled. "Is he cute?" I felt Potter tense up beside me. Making him jealous was kind of fun.

She shrugged. "Decent I guess, but he's male, so Siobhan has to have him."

"Doesn't she have a boyfriend now?" Siobhan sent me a long letter about halfway into the summer that was just about her first 'serious' boyfriend. Serious meaning that she planned to keep him long enough to know his middle name, something that was nearly unheard of with Siobhan. There were two long pieces of parchment just on his looks, and another one on what we wore for the first week they had known each other. Though she had no idea what Muggle fashion was like, she guessed he was very stylish.

"Yeah, Ian, I think his name is. Old habits die hard, I suppose." She looked at Potter. "How was your summer?"

"Pretty good," he answered. "I didn't really do much, just hung around with the Marauders and played Quidditch. I was just happy to get out of school for a couple months. But I'm glad to be back. How about you, Lily?"

"It was fine. Petunia's engaged to a total pig named Vernon who thinks I'm anti-social and criminally insane. Er, I think that's it. Oh, and Prudence had kittens."

"Prudence?" asked Potter.

"She's my cat, well, one of my cats now," I explained. "I'm allowed to keep two kittens, so I picked a little white one and a gray one with black and white spots. I need to find homes for the other ones though, all five of them."

Will and Siobhan walked in. "Are you interested in a kitten?" asked Mary. They raised their eyebrows, puzzled. Mary always did that kind of thing: scaring people with questions about conversations they weren't in. "Lily's cat had kittens," Mary explained.

Sirius and Reamus appeared in the doorway, both of them looking at me then Potter for a couple times, then smiling suggestively at me. "Prongs, you need to come now. We have to run a plan by you." Potter laughed. "I'll see you around," he said to us.

"Isn't he cute?" Siobhan said after he left. "If he wasn't utterly obsessed with you, I would so go after him."

"And if you didn't have a boyfriend," interjected Will. Siobhan sighed.

"Yeah, that too. And Ian is absolutely perfect. He's so handsome, and smart, and sweet. And he's Irish, so me dad and gram approve; Mum doesn't really care, as long as I'm not having casual sex and snorting cocaine. His only downside is that he so logical. He doesn't believe in witches or unicorns or anything like that. And he's really close-minded."

"Siobhan," I began, standing up to head for the Slug Club compartment, "did you just say that your boyfriend doesn't believe in magic, and doesn't want to have anything to do with magic?"

"Yes." She sighed. "But he's so cute."

"This is brilliant! Abso-bloody-lutely brilliant!" I said, laughing. "How did you find this curse, Moony?"

"My dad has a big library. I found it in one of the books," answered Reamus. "But how are you going to get to the food? The kitchens?" It was odd to see Reamus so involved in a prank like this one, but we always started the year with a big joke. This will probably the first and last time Moony will take part in a prank we could get in big shit for.

"Yeah," Sirius said. "We just have to go talk to the house elves ask to see what the Snakes are getting. They love following orders, so that should be easy. They show us, James can do the hex without talking, and then we leave and go to the Great Hall like nothing happened. If not, you can just whisper it, right?" I nodded.

"Why are we settling for just the Slytherins?" said Peter, with a funny shine to his eye. "We should get the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs too!"

"We have an alliance with them, that's why. And it would be too suspicious if the Gryffindor table was the only good one. Then it would be obvious it was us." Sirius sprawled out on one side of the seats, looking cat-like and comfortable. Of course, that left us to squeeze together on the other side.

"But everyone is going to assume it was us anyway," Reamus said. "We are the number 1 pranksters in this school."

Padfoot put his arms around us. "Ah, number 1. It feels so good to be at the top." He sighed. "Anyway . . ."

"Hey, I'm going to go see how long we have until Hogwarts," Reamus said, closing the door.

"So, where were you this morning?"asked Wormtail. Sirius and I shared a look and grinned.

"He was with Miss Lily Evans," Sirius answered, grinning ear to ear. "Sitting side by side. She seemed to be warming up to you quite a bit, James. Hey, you might get lucky this year. You know, maybe you'll get her to smile at you or something." He mock gasped. "Maybe – maybe even a handshake!"

I laughed. "C'mon, stop it. She was just happy to see her friends again. It had nothing to do with me. And she was only sitting beside me because Mary wouldn't let Lily sit beside her."

"Mary -?" Sirius was really bad with names.

"Mary MacDonald. She's the one that yelled at you for breaking up with Victoria two months ago on the train after two days of dating. Remember?"

"Is she the Goth one? The one that changes the color of her eyes and nails every day?"

"Yeah. The one that hates you," Peter added.

"She hates me? Really? Who in their right mind could hate me?"

A/N: Isn't Sirius just so lovable? So far, I think he's my favourite male character, Siobhan my favourtie female. I love writing for the flirty childish types, I guess.

Who's your favourite character?