Beyond the Lake

Chapter One

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Great, James Potter. He was the last person Lily Evans wanted to see in her compartment, but to be stuck with him on her last train ever to Hogwarts? She was sick of him asking her out at least ten times a year, every year. She tried looking away from him, but then her eyes wandered to the bright gold badge on his chest: HB. Of all things, he had to be the Head Boy, especially when she was the Head Girl. He hadn't even been a prefect!

"Hello, Evans! How was your summer? Satisfactory, I hope?" James asked mockingly.

"Just wonderful!" she said sarcastically. "It was so nice to be free of you for a few months," she finished, glaring at him.

"Sadly, I can see that I am not welcome here. But, just to start the year off the right way, Lily, will you go out with me?"

"And just to keep the tradition going- no."

"Then my work here is done. Farewell, fair lady," and he finally left.

"Lily!" screamed her friend, Marissa. "When will you ever quit turning down the most popular boy in school? Well, besides Sirius Black, but that's not the point. I mean, he obviously likes you."

"He's an arrogant asshole! Just the thought of dating him kills me."

"Suit yourself, then."

***

James Potter was by no means an asshole, but a bit arrogant, yes. He was the first one to admit it and the next one to do so was his best friend, Sirius Black, also known as Padfoot. But that aside, he was one of the most popular guys at Hogwarts, mostly because of his skill as a Chaser.

"Turn you down again, Prongs?" asked Sirius.

"Course she did. Even she finds it to be a tradition." Despite what he said and how he acted, he was a bit put out by Lily's refusal, as he was every time she turned him down. Although he hated to admit it, he had liked Lily Evans since their third year, when she came back to Hogwarts with an amazing figure and a new confidence to attract any male.

"Oh well," said Remus Lupin, another close friend. "Maybe you need a new plan. This is your last year and last chance, you know."

But James was too busy thinking of Lily's brilliant light red hair and exotic green eyes to pay attention to anything that went on around him.

He looked at her watch and realized it was time to lecture the prefects. What fun. Of course there was the upside- Lily was Head Girl. He headed for the front of the train and met her there.

"Ready to go, Evans?" he asked her.

She ignored him, much to his dismay. Instead she addressed the prefects, "Alright, I'm obviously the new Head Girl, Lily Evans, and this is James Potter, the Head Boy. I know we're supposed to lecture, but the sixth and seventh years know what you're doing, so go patrol the train, and fifth years stay here.

"Um, let's see. You have to patrol the train, you can give out detentions, and-"

"But don't bother giving them to anyone a year above you, they'll just sit there and laugh," James interrupted.

"Then you go to a teacher and report them," she said, glaring at him. "We're supposed to be setting an example," she said quietly to him.

"It's the truth," he told her, then, turning to the prefects said, "Don't mind my sweetheart here, she has no idea what she's saying."

"James!" she snapped. "I have a whole hell of a lot more of an idea of what I'm saying than he ever will, so just go patrol, now," she finished rather menacingly as the shocked fifth years almost ran out of the compartment, each throwing nervous glances at the irritated Head Girl.

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