How It All Began

16 year-old Lily Evans sat on her bed, bored out of her mind. Her sister Petunia was really no fun, all she wanted to do was to get Lily to show magic to her. Lily Evans was a witch who attended Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was a muggle-born, and her sister wasn't born a witch. Lily suspected that Petunia was jealous of her sister's ability to do magic. Because Lily's parents always paid close attention to Lily, Petunia was often left out. Lily occasionally felt sorry for her, but it was quickly erased when Petunia came to Lily for help on her problems. But Lily couldn't do what Petunia wanted, or else she would get expelled.

Really, is my life this boring? thought Lily. "Mum and Dad are out and Petunia is over at a friend's house. Nothing to do." Great, she thought. Lily leaped off the bed and went to her owl, Hazel. She felt like writing. I need to talk to someone. Then she got a sudden idea. But she needed a name to use. Lily thought of a name. Hmm...I'll use my best friend's name when I was little: Tara. She took out a piece of parchment and wrote:

Dear Whoever this comes to,

I won't tell you my real name, but let's settle for Tara. I'm bored this summer and decided to write to some person whom I don't have any idea is. Of course, it's you. I want you to write me back with my owl; she'll know where to find me. Tell me about yourself too. By the way, I'm a girl.

Tara

Lily took the note, folded it, and gave it to Hazel. "Now give this note to someone like me. A witch or a wizard. And just drop it or something. I want it to be random, ok?"

Hazel gave a hoot and went off. Lily smiled. I think this is gonna be something I'm never going to forget.

~*~*~*~*~

James Potter laid on the grass on his front lawn. He was bored. VERY bored. Sirius was on vacation in France visiting some relatives, Remus was at home, but couldn't visit because this was the day before the full moon and he was usually tired and snappy during that time. And for some reason, he didn't want to owl Peter. Even though he was his friend, he felt that he wasn't as close to Peter as to Padfoot and Moony. He closed his eyes and then suddenly he heard a flapping of wings. He opened his eyes and saw there was an owl for him. Maybe it's from Sirius, thought James. He opened the letter and read it. He gave a classic 'Marauder' smile. This is gonna be fun.

He sprinted into the house and grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill. He wrote a reply and sent it off with Hazel. Of course he didn't tell Tara his real name, but he used his middle name. Hardly anybody knows it, he thought.

He went back outside and laid back down on the lawn. He fell asleep with a relaxed expression on his face.

~*~*~*~*~

Lily sat by her window waiting for a reply. She started to doze off, when a loud rapping came at the window. She suddenly woke up and saw that Hazel had returned. She grabbed the note it was carrying and read:

Dear Tara,

Well, ok. I'll play your game. My name is Daniel, and if you're wondering, it's my middle name. I go to Hogwarts and I'm going into 6th year. I have very mischievous friends and well, let's just say, I'm smart. If you go to the same school, do you want me to tell you who I am? I don't want to. Well, write back.

Daniel

Lily eyes lit up. She grinned at the letter and grabbed another piece of parchment to write back to Daniel. She wrote:

Dear Daniel,

You go to Hogwarts? What a coincidence. I do too, and I'm also in sixth year. Mischeivous friends? Reminds me of these other people I know. Smart? Well, I like a guy with brains. Hard to find these days, no offense. Yeah, don't tell me who you are. This makes it more suspenseful. Well, write back soon.

Tara

Lily sent the letter off. Just then, Petunia came into the room. "What are you doing now dear sister?" Petunia noticed the quill and parchment. "So, who are ya writing to? Hmm? Your boyfriend?"

Lily scoffed. "For your information Petunia, I don't have a boyfriend. And I don't plan to get one either. So, back off."

Petunia sneered at her. "Humph, yeah right. You probably have 10 boyfriends. I mean remember last year when you came home for Christmas? You got like 15 presents from all these boys you didn't know," she said with a hint of jealously in her voice.

"Well Petunia, you can gladly take my place if you're so jealous."

Petunia looked at Lily with a 'if looks could kill' thing and Lily shook it off. "Petunia, you're gonna have to grow up someday, you know?"

Petunia just stared and walked out of her room. Lily shook her head and sighed.

She looked at the calendar. She was going back to Hogwarts in a week. She had to get her supplies. The letter came two days ago. She was a prefect, and was unfortunate enough to find that out that James Potter was one also. She shuddered. She really didn't like James. Even though she had a thought that James had a crush on Lily, she didn't like him back. Though, I think he's pretty cute. And sweet. And funny. Ok, maybe I have a crush on James. But I'm not gonna let him know that. Lily blocked out the thought. Just then she heard the sound of the car door. Her parents were home. "Mum? Dad? I need to go to Diagon Alley to get my supplies!"

"Ok, Lily! We'll go right now if you want to!" Joyce Evans, Lily's mom, yelled back.

"Ok! I'll get my supply list!"

Lily went through her drawer and found her list. I hope I don't see James Potter with the Morons there. With all four of them together, that makes trouble. "Are you ready?" Patrick Evans, Lily's dad, asked.

"Yeah!" And with that Lily sprinted out the door.

~*~*~*~*~

"James? James? We need to go get your supplies now!" screamed Areatha Potter, James's mom.

"Why now? We have another week!"

"We won't be here next week, remember? You're going to the train station to go to Hogwarts with Sirius!"

"Oh man! I forgot," said James, slapping his hand to his forehead.

"Get your list James! We're going right now."

"All right, all right!"

James dived under his bed for his list. He found it and stuck to it was a picture of Lily Evans. He grinned. Maybe I'll meet her there. He went downstairs and saw his dad, Evan Potter, was ready to go with him. "Dad, I'm like sixteen. Can I go by myself? I'll be a good little boy and not run off," James said in a innocent voice. Evan thought about this. Letting a Potter, especially James Potter off on his own in Diagon Alley was probably not a wise decision. He knew the trouble his son had gotten into in earlier years. But he was sixteen. "Go ahead James." James went to the fireplace and threw floo powder on it. The flame turned green and James stepped inside. "Diagon Alley!"

When James got there, he looked around and spotted Remus. He looked pale and was very thin. He's always like this before the full moon. He shouldn't even be out now. "Hey, Moony!" James yelled out to his second best friend.

"Hullo Prongs!" Remus answered back.

James ran up to Remus. "It's good to see ya! I've been so bored, I actually thought of doing my homework this summer."

"Tell me about it! Since Padfoot is on vacation, I've been moping around."

"My parents actually think that Padfoot on vacation is good for me," whispered James. "Because now, I'm all quiet. But not for long."

"Oh, well, I wouldn't blame them," said Remus with a grin.

"Hey! Moony you're supposed to be on my side! You said yourself that you were bored!"

"I'm just joking with you, Prongs," said Remus, patting James on the back. "Just joking."

"You're in a good mood to be joking, especially at a time like this."

Remus looked down. "I had to buy my supplies today. After my transformation, I'll be too weak and tired," Remus whispered to James.

"All right, but I'm looking out for you, ok?"

Remus smiled. "Thanks Prongs."

"No problem Moony."

The two Marauders then went off looking for supplies.

~*~*~*~*~

Lily Evans arrived at Diagon Alley. They had used the brick wall to enter Diagon Alley by touching a specific brick by the tip of her wand three times. It opened and she entered. There she met one of her friends, Arabella Figg. "Hey Bella! Over here!" yelled Lily waving her hand.

"Hey Lily!"

"C'mon, let's go to Flourish and Blotts. I wanna see if there is anything new," said Lily excitedly.

Arabella put her hands on her hips. "Lily Evans. You're not trying to find hexes to curse James Potter, are you?"

"Arabella Figg! I am shocked and disappointed that you would accuse me of such thing!" Lily tried to look serious, but she cracked up anyway.

"Oh, Lily. Get over it," her friend said irritably. "You know that James Potter likes you! Why don't you go out with him?"

Lily gagged. "No, Bella. That's suicide. I can't just go out with him because he's...cute and hilarious."

"See? You even like him back!"

"Nah. I would die before I go out with James Potter. I mean, sure. He's cute, but those annoying friends of his, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. Except Remus. He's sweet...most of the time."

Arabella laughed. "Nice one Lily. C'mon let's go."

~*~*~*~*~

Remus noticed that James was looking out for somebody. He automatically knew who it was. "Prongs, when are you going to give up?"

"Give up what Moony?"

"Give up trying to make Lily Evans like you."

"Well, I like her."

"I know that already Prongs," Remus said in a dull voice, remembering the times James had said that already.

"Well, I'm kinda hoping that, I'll...askherouththisyear."

"What? I can never understand your mumbling Prongs. And I think that's for a very good reason."

"I wanna...ask her out this year."

Remus burst out laughing. "C'mon, stop it," said an annoyed James.

But Remus didn't stop. "Prongs, do you know the odds of getting Lily Evans to go out with you?"

James didn't answer. "A million to one," said Remus to fill up the silence.

"Ha ha, very funny Moony."

"If Sirius were here, he would be making up worse stuff," smiling.

Remus and James went off towards Flourish and Blotts. They walked into the enormous bookstore and went looking for their school books. While trying to find The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 6) by Miranda Goshawk, he spotted 'his angel' as Remus always put it. Her red hair was radiant, and her green eyes were bright, outshining the other eyes in the store. James immediately walked towards Lily.

~*~*~*~*~

Lily, who was looking at the book, Curses and Countercurses for the Friends and the Enemies by Cheryl Nemesis, noticed someone coming toward her. He had messy back jet hair, and blue eyes hidden behind black rimmed glasses. Great, James Potter. Well, Lily, time to put up the 'I hate you' act again. James made his way toward Lily and stopped in front of her. "Hello Lily, and how gorgeous you look today."

Lily, though touched by his comment, shook it off. "Well, if it isn't James Potter. Why don't you look up a curse in this book to do it on me, so I don't have to go through this torture. Or, why don't you get Sirius and let him put the Jelly-legs jinx on me, so you can catch me again like last year?"

James beamed at the memory. "Ok, but this time I have to use Remus. Oy Moony! Come here!"

"James, I only meant it as a joke!"

"See, I obey someone called Lily Evans because she is the most beautiful girl in the world and I, would like to show you my love for you."

Everyone in the store went, "Awwwwww."

Lily knew she was blushing at James's statement. Then suddenly, her legs felt wobbly. She lost her balance and then fell. She felt someone catch her and she saw that he was smiling down at her. James Potter had a 'victory' grin on his face and lifted Lily up slowly. Lily then had an idea. "My beautiful knight! How can I ever repay you?" Lily tried to speak this without saying it sarcastically.

"My beautiful princess! A kiss will do the trick!"

"Ok, anything for my brave knight!"

James leaned towards her. Lily started to, too, but before hand, she had placed a cushioning charm on the floor. James was coming closer and closer. Then Lily stepped out of the way and James crashed down on the floor where the cushioning charm was. Lily crouched down and kissed James on the cheek and then whispered, "The day I kiss you on the lips, is the day I fall in love with you. So you'll have to charm me better than ever, if you ever want that to happen." Lily stood up, walked to where Arabella was standing and gave a very big grin. Arabella grinned back and they left the store.

James stood up as Remus made his way over. "Prongs are you ok? What did she say?"

James had this dreamy look on his face and was smiling broadly and didn't bother to answer Remus's question. Until Remus yelled, "Rictusempra!" Remus hit James with a tickling charm, and hoped this would bounce James out of his dreamworld. When Remus muttered the counter-curse, James stood again and said to Remus, "She said, ' The day I kiss you on the lips is the day we fall in love. So you'll have to charm me better than ever, if you ever want that to happen.' I'm gonna charm her so bad, I bet you, I'll marry her someday."

"Now, that, is impossible."

"Just watch me Moony. Just watch me."

The boys quickly paid for their books and James left the store beaming.