It was September, 1st 1972 in Kings Cross Station London, England. There stood a petrified Lily Evans standing beside her trunk, owl and other belongings finally saying goodbye to her parents. Beside her stood two boys. Both looked ruggedly handsome for eleven year olds and were waiting for Lily to release her parents from her bone crushing hug. Then when they finally realized that they had to go now or miss the train, Lily let go of her parents and James Potter and Sirius Black pulled Lily into the brick wall that acted as a doorway into the Wizard world. James and Lily went through first with Sirius pushing in rather closely behind them. Sirius and James had already met when they had both walked into the station and their parents had recognized each other. Both laughed at their knowledge and love of pranks. They along with Lily who also seemed to love pranking had become the marauders. When they finally made it onto the station terminal 9 ¾, the three children were astonished. There were witches and wizards of every station there, all dropping relatives or children off that were to catch the 11:00am Hogwarts Express to Hogwarts. There were all sorts of coloured robes walking around and Lily was extremely nervous. Finding out that you were a wizard and being disowned by your best friend who also happens to be your sister all in one month was a bit much for her.

Then as the first two people that she had happened to meet pulled her along with them. They had met when Lily had come up and asked them because they were standing with their parents if they were by any chance going to Hogwarts as first years. When the two boys eagerly nodded, Lily asked if she could stay with them until they got onto the train. So as the conductor and train crew placed their trunks and owls onto the luggage carriage of the train, Sirius and James grabbed Lily's hands and dragged her onto the carriage before she could meet any other girls. They found an empty compartment and the three sat together and conjured up their first prank for the year. Sirius had read Hogwarts, a History and was intrigued to find that there were a group of ten students who had managed to receive 2,702 detentions in seven years, and that that was the school record. And so the current marauders were intending on breaking that record. But before the conference could go ahead any further, the compartment door opened and a boy with bright blue eyes and long brown hair walked into the compartment timidly asking if he could sit down. He introduced himself saying that he was Remus Lupin. They sat talking about the detentions again and before long they had another member of the marauders. Then the compartment door opened again and a girl by the name of Bella Figg opened the door, she introduced herself and then before James could stop her, dragged Lily out of the compartment to meet most of the other first year girls. Lily met and became friends with Molly Fitzgerald, Geraldine Brown, and Saralein Westworth.

The four girls had become rather close when James and Sirius came rushing into the compartment looking for Lily. James came over and grabbed Lily's hand whispering in her ear "We just played our first prank." Lily's smile increased one hundred fold and she turned around not noticing that she was still holding James's hand and she asked who they had done it to? "Severus Snape" he answered. He's some hotshot who is friends with Lucius Malfoy, and we all know what house he'll be in." While Lily looked rather lost the rest of the carriage car yelled "Slytherin" Then everyone shuddered. Lily still looked lost and as James led her out of that carriage that was full of girls and into the quieter carriage she asked him "What's wrong with Slytherin James?" James turned around astonished that she didn't know about the houses and then sat down beside her and began to tell her about all of the houses and how he knew that the three of them would be in Gryffindor. The best house. He told her about what each of the houses specializes in and why they were named like that.

And during the train ride, Malfoy and Snape came waltzing into the compartment like they owned the place. Lily was laughing softly at something James had said when she looked up to find one silvery eyed boy standing there staring at her intently and a brightly coloured orange greasy haired boy standing right beside him. Then before any of them could stop themselves, they all broke out in laughter. Lily collapsed on James wiping tears of joy out of her eyes and then when Lucius came forward like to steal Lily out of James's arms, Sirius growled like a large angry dog and a golden glint of anger seeped into James eyes, Remus looked like he was about to pounce on the two will be slytherins. Sirius looked at Lucius before whispering in a deadly fashion "I hope you weren't thinking about touching her, polluting her or even going near her. Death Eaters like your parents should be locked in Azkaban and never let out. You Slytherin, don't deserve the company of people like Lily. Now LEAVE and don't let James, Remus or myself ever see you near her again. Lily by this time had stopped laughing all together and had been dragged into James's lap and had his arms wrapped tightly around her. It was like they were already comfortable in each others company so much that Lily sitting in James's lap looked right. Like that was they way that it was supposed to be.

Then as the four of them dressed into their robes ready for the train to stop, all four realized that a bond had been formed between them. Lily had slowly fallen asleep between James and the side of the compartment. Already Bella and Saralein had come in and sat down with them asking if Lily was okay. James nodded back into his pranking mood, but was still wary of Lily who was leaning on his shoulder. She was one of his best friends already and he felt very over protective of her. He prayed to God for her to be put in Gryffindor with him. Every member of his family past had been placed in Gryffindor and he really thought that it was going to be assured that he was too. He was a direct descendant of Godric Gryffindor and that was pretty much a given to be sent to Gryffindor. Not that he had a problem with that. With that he grabbed Lily's hand and held it in his lap tenderly playing with her carefully cut fingernails. She was loyal, brave and had a sense of humour. It didn't matter that she was a muggle born. She was so pretty and seemed to like him for who he was. So he just sat there talking to Sirius and Remus while still holding Lily's hand in a death grip and constantly hoping that she would go to Gryffindor with him. When they eventually pulled into Hogesmade station, James slowly woke Lily up and led her sleepy form out of the train and where Hagrid was calling them.

He sat himself next to her on the boat and behind Sirius and Remus.(There's no Peter in this, I really hate him.) Then as they eventually moved off the shore and toward the castle, James kept an eye on Lily while staring open mouthed at the huge castle that would be their home for the next year. Meanwhile Remus and Sirius had obviously noticed this about how over protective they all were of Lily and they decided to make themselves her surrogate brothers. Eventually they reached the great hall and James, Lily, Remus and Sirius were standing at the front of the first years making sure that they looked respectable and waiting in silent agony for the doors to open to the main hall. Sure enough a professor named Minerva McGonagall came walking out of two large closed doors and motioned for them to follow her. They walked into a huge banquet hall full of older students and a ceiling that seemed to be bewitched to look exactly like the sky. Well, that's what Lily told them anyway. The four marauders were at the front of the first years watching as a very old hat sat on a three legged stool and then twitched and began to sing:

'A thousand years or more ago, When I was newly sewn, There lived four wizards of renown, Whose names are still well known: Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor, Fair Ravenclaw; from Glen, Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad, Shrewd Slytherin, from fen. They sharded a wish, a hope, a dream,

They hatched a daring plan To educate young sorcerers, Thus Hogwarts school began. Now each of these four founders Formed their own house, for each

Did value different virtues In the ones they had to teach. By Gryffindor, the brave were Prized far beyond the rest; For Ravenclaw, the cleverest Would always be the best; For Hufflepuff, hard workers were

Most worthy of admission; And power hungry Slytherin Loved those of great ambition. While still alive they did divide Their favourites from the throng, Yet how to pick the worthy ones When they were dead and gone? 'Twas Gryffindor who found the way,

He whipped me off his head The founders put some brains in me So I could choose instead! Now slip me over your ears, I've never yet been wrong, I'll have a look inside your mind And tell you where you belong.

Then as the rest of the great hall burst into gracious applause, most of the first years stood there nervously fidgeting and twitching hoping that the hat wouldn't say aloud some of their innermost secrets. Sure enough, Professor McGonagall was now reading out first years students names

Terry Abbott......Hufflepuff The table which she was now heading to burst into applause. Gemma Bolten....Ravenclaw

One of the middle tables burst into applause as well Lily, who was still holding onto James hand and leant over to him and whispered "I wouldn't mind being in that house. Any where but Slytherin though." James grabbed her hand even tighter and whispered back in her ear loud enough so that Remus and Sirius could hear, "You will be in Gryffindor, with the other three of us, don't worry about it." Lily looked at him worriedly hoping that he was right, but he just winked at her. Then Sirius was called up. He slowly sat on the chair, smirking slightly to himself and then the hat began to speak "Ah, another Black. You are all so full of character. This shouldn't be too hard. Cleverness, that's there, but the willingness to study isn't, that's for sure. Bravery and loyalty is a big one. You don't belong anywhere but GRYFFINDOR." The middle table closest to the right began to cheer loudly and Sirius put on a hundred watt smile before sitting down and saving two seats opposite him and one seat beside him. Soon afterward the third Gryffindor was called out, Rachel Calan, then Oliver Didly... SLYTHERIN. The table next to the Ravenclaws on the extreme left hand side began to cheer then, but to James's ears it sounded more like jeers. Then the moment both himself and Lily had been waiting for "Lily Evans."

Lily stood up to the hat and put it over her ears. The mouth was then pulled into a tight line while it considered it's decision. You are a very clever young lady, Ms Evans, you hold a main point of every house in you. But bravery is a main point in your mind and you seem extremely loyal to people you consider friends so I believe that Ravenclaw would be the best place to send you, but there is someone out in the audience that wants you to be in Gryffindor, and seeing that he is partly right, I have to say that I agree with him, GRYFFINDOR." After Lily had been sorted into Gryffindor everything seemed to move a lot faster. After several others were sorted into the other three houses James's name was called out "James Potter." He slowly walked up to the sorting hat and set in on his untamed hair. It seemed to automatically come to life "Ah, another Potter, the same qualities that come with every one, Loyalty, bravery and oh yes, a large shot of protectiveness in you Mr Potter, you would do well in GRYFFINDOR." James slowly stood up and watched as the table burst into applause but was especially noticing how his friends stood up and greeted him to their house for the next seven years. He took a seat next to Sirius and waited for Remus to join them. He was called up right after James and sat on the chair. After he placed the hat on his head, the hat gasped "A lonely one, we haven't had one of you here in a long time, Mr Lupin, plus the large streak of loyalty and self sacrifice that is present in you, you belong in GRYFFINDOR. After the sorting had been finished, Professor Dumbledore stood once again and murmured two words, dig in!

There, were rows and rows of lamb, chicken and anything anyone really wanted to eat. It was all there. During the feast, James was confronted by the two people he really didn't want to see. Not to mention the fact that Lily was sitting on the other side of the table from him and Malfoy and Snape were coming up that side. James nervously twitched and watched as the two smirked at others that were sitting at both the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor tables but their eyes never seemed to stray completely from Lily Evans's face. When they finally arrived at the pre-destined place, Lucius placed both his hands on either side of Lily's chair and then jeered at James, smirking at him saying that he was closer to her than he was. But Lily was getting rather angry at the fact that she couldn't eat her dinner with these two men drooling in it. They had their own food back at their own table and she couldn't help but wonder why they were over drooling in hers. So she turned around and said to Lucius and Severus, "Excuse me, but what is wrong with the food at your table?" "Nothing" Severus replied. "Good then, please let me eat mine and go back to your table. I don't find drool extremely nutritious."

Everyone sitting near her at the table then broke out into laughter. Severus went several shades redder and Malfoy just got angry. He was about to slap Lily for her insolence when James, Sirius stood up and Remus just pulled Lily to him protecting her with his own body. James pulled out his wand and said "You have no right coming over here slytherin. Go back to your own house and leave us alone. We've already warned you about going near Lily, you don't want me to get really angry. Trust me, it's not a pretty sight. But if you keep harassing Lily, I'll have no choice. Now bugger off and leave her alone. But the problem was that they didn't disappear, so James and Sirius, acting like their usual hero selves, simultaneously pointed their wands at Lucius Malfoy and shot a jelly legs charm at him and a body bind charm at him. Then as soon as their two wands were dropped Professor McGonagall arrived at the scene demanding to know what was going on. She whispered 'finite incantium' at Lucius Malfoy who was currently lying on the floor and then took the four Marauder's into her office, but she didn't notice that Lily was placed in between all three of them and Lucius had to walk behind them. Then when they arrived at McGonagall's office, she asked them all to sit, but Lucius was the only one to do so. All three marauder's still seemed to surround Lily. Then McGonagall knew what the problem was. So she automatically gave Lucius detention and then told him to leave the room.

Then as she turned to the marauders they seemed to close ranks around Lily. Then James walked forward "He tried to slap her. We told him to leave her alone and he didn't do so, so we took action into our own hands. I'm sorry, but no one has any right to hit Lily. No one." Lily blushed at this but stayed where she was. James stayed in front of his group and seemed to be the ambassador for the marauders. McGonagall surveyed the close knit group and knew that they were going to be trouble for the next seven years. She let them all go back to the feast and turned back to the staff table and watched as they returned but this time James sat himself next to Lily and brought her food across from the other side of the table. Lily seemed quite oblivious to attention that James was paying her, but she knew that there were some looks that the older girls were giving her. All three boys seemed really over protective of her for the rest of the night and when they left to go to the dormitories, Lily walked with the three boys and Bella, Saralein and Molly. Then when they arrived in the common room and the prefects told them that it was time to go to bed, James demanded that the girls and the boys be allowed to sleep together.