Chapter one The sun was setting over the forbidden forest and casting a golden glow over the occupants of the library. Many fifth and seventh year students were seated in groups around the tables in an attempt to cram as much information into their already overflowing brains for their final exams. The final exam for the OWL students was history of magic. A subject that many students failed to grasp because of the mind-numbing technique of the subject teacher, Professor Binns, who insisted on spending every lesson reading from endless notes about topics, which had they been taught by another teacher, would likely be considered fascinating. Lily Evans and Catherine Rose had been sat at the same table for almost six hours. Lily had insisted upon skipping dinner in order to make the best possible use of a completely silent library. Even the prowling of the ancient librarian, Madam Audley, couldn’t prevent the flicking of book pages or the scratching of quills upon parchment and Catherine had been glad for the extra revision time. Lily’s emerald green eyes were flicking from side to side as they skimmed over her fourth year notes on goblin rebellions. Catherine yawned, stretching her arms over her head and flicking back her long blond hair so it glistened in the candlelight coming from the lanterns that had just been lit. ‘Lily, he’s watching you again.’ Catherine nodded in the direction of a table behind them where four boys in their year were sitting. Only one of them seemed to be revising and was sufficiently ignoring the three of his friends as they participated in a paper flicking contest. Sirius Black and James Potter were easily the cleverest students of their year and it was widely know. They were the leaders of their little group, which consisted of Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. The only likeable of the four was Remus whose sensitivity and calmness many girls found to the very attractive, although, in his naivety, he did not acknowledge this. Remus was often over shadowed by his two friends Sirius and James. Sirius was incredibly handsome. He had dark hair that lay casually over his grey eyes. He was without doubt the tall, dark stranger many girls fantasise about meeting. James had jet-black hair, which stuck up uncontrollably at the back, and that was without his habit of ruffling it up further with his hand. His nose was slightly longer than desirable, but fitted in perfectly with his prominent cheekbones and jaw line. Thickly rimmed glasses added to the twinkling sensation of his brown eyes. Lily took her gaze off her history of magic notes and turned around. She held a glare for a few moments before turning back to Catherine and her revision notes. ‘He isn’t even studying!’ Lily hissed. ‘Why doesn’t he go to the common room?’ ‘Perhaps you should ask him yourself,’ Catherine said. ‘He’s coming over.’ ‘Alright Evans,’ James said smugly, ‘I noticed you were looking at me so I thought I would come over and inquire as to why?’ ‘You know I can’t go a second without out looking at you.’ Lily said sarcastically, not taking her eyes from her notes. ‘Well, I didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable. I thought perhaps you felt slightly embarrassed by your urge to be with me so was skirting around that. I know you want me Evans. My dorm is empty, care to join me?’ James winked. ‘I’m sure you will be able to make full use of an empty dorm on your own, Potter.’ Catherine laughed. ‘Now will you please leave us alone. I am trying to revise! Not all of us can just coast through every single one of our lessons and still obtain high marks,’ Lily said snidely. ‘Whatever you desire my sweet, we can pick this up after our exam tomorrow.’ With that James bent down and placed a large, wet kiss on Lily’s cheek. ‘Ugh, get off you freak,’ Lily shouted, wriggling to get out of his grip. James turned and went back to his friends. Sirius, who had let out a bark like laugh, hushed his table and looked at James with sympathy. ‘Turn you down again, Prongs?’ he asked, with a tone of severity. ‘What gave you that idea?’ James asked. ‘I’m having a wild guess, but it could be the daggers she is sending at you as we speak,’ said Remus calmly. ‘I feel your pain,’ said Sirius, ‘Actually no I don’t, but I understand what you are going through,’ he paused. ‘No, I’m sorry, I’ve never been rejected before so I don’t understand that either, but I’m sure it feels awful.’ ‘Oh shut up,’ James said, throwing one of Remus’ books at Sirius’ head who caught it with ease and slid it back towards Remus. ‘What have you got that I haven’t got?’ ‘It’s my charm, natural good looks and sincerity, the ladies just can’t get enough of it,’ Sirius said, putting his feet up on the table and leaning back on his chair. ‘Talk about blowing your own horn, but you do realise you have none of that,’ said James. ‘But I’m serious, Sirius, I have been nothing but kind and polite to her and still she hates me!’ ‘How long have you been dying to say that “Serious, Sirius” thing?’ ‘Oh forever, but don’t change the subject. I am totally in awe about her,’ said James. ‘We know,’ said Sirius, Remus and Peter together. James scowled at them. He pushed on one leg of Sirius’ chair so that it almost tipped over completely. Sirius grabbed his hands onto the table to stop him falling. A group of girls from Ravenclaw house giggled. They had been watching him intently. ‘Six legs good, two legs bad,’ said James in imitation of the batty librarian. Sirius slid his legs off the table and swept his fringe out of his eyes. He returned all legs to the floor at a speed that allowed him to flex all of his muscles. The Ravenclaw table giggled louder than ever. ‘The library is closing. The lanterns are going out in five minutes,’ a high pitch voice rang over the whispers of the students. The legs of many chairs scraped along the wooden floors. James cursed the feeling it sent through his heart, it was as if every one in the library was dangling his feelings in front of him, knowing that he couldn’t do anything about it. Lily swung her satchel into James with resentment as she passed, nearly knocking him over. James gritted his teeth knowing he would have to grin and bare her torment if he was serious about getting her. ‘Are you alright?’ asked Remus as they headed up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room. ‘Yeah,’ James lied. ‘James, promise not to be angry with me when I say this but I must ask you. Do you actually like Lily or are you just trying to get her because she’s the only one who’s proving a challenge?’ asked Remus. ‘I like her Moony, I really do,’ said James. ‘I thought you did but then I thought about Sirius and was wondering if you were just doing it to prove you are as good at getting girls as he is.’ ‘Come on Moony. Give me some credit. I can assure you that I don’t believe I am anywhere near as good as getting girls as Sirius is,’ James joked. Sirius and Peter were waiting in front of the portrait hole to Gryffindor tower. The fat lady was eagerly awaiting the password before she could let them in. ‘Hurry up you two,’ Sirius called down the stairs. Remus gave James a look of compassion. ‘Don’t fall into the same trap just because Sirius feels that’s the way to go. Be your own person.’ ‘I never let anyone tell me what to do. I’m a free spirit,’ James Replied. Sirius serenaded the fat lady declaring his love of her ‘Phoenix’ like quality, which happened to be the password at the time. She gave a ‘Humph’ sound and swung open to let the group in. They stepped inside and made their way towards a collection of chairs beneath an open window. The sky outside was now a navy blue and was sprinkled with silver stars, each sparkling to their own rhythm. The moon was large and pearly white and a beam was falling on the table the foursome was headed towards. Remus looked up in to the sky. ‘Three days until full moon,’ he said nervously. Sirius and Peter were watching Remus. They didn’t know what to say, how could they confess to him that they were really looking forward to full moon. James wasn’t paying attention. His gaze was upon the back of a lone figure sitting at a table. Lily’s long red hair reflected the candlelight she was reading by. It hung over her shoulders like a sheet of gleaming silk, the occasional strand twitching as she turned her head ever so slightly. James found the sight mesmerising; he would happily have stayed there all night watching the head. Lily’s small hands delicately caressed the many sheets of parchment that were overlaying her table as she searched for that bit of information to fill the empty spot in her mind. Little did she know that that part of her mind had been reserved long ago for another memory, one she hadn’t even considered would ever exist.