To Love and Be Loved

As Lily Evans stepped into the Hogwarts Express she spotted one of her best friends flirting nearby with a bunch of fifth year boys in the Ravenclaw quidditch team. Kim Frey, a fourth year like Lily, was easy to spot anywhere with her beautiful long red hair, her soft brown eyes, and at 5'8" guys were attracted to her like bees to honey! Lily giggled softly to herself seeing that they hadn't even gotten to school and Kim had already started to put on her charm for the guys.

"Hey Lily," Jess shouted over the voices of the other witches and wizards at the station. "How was your summer? Well considering Petunia and all," exclaimed Lily's other best friend.

"Oh, hi Jess. Yea, it was as bearable as it could be, you know with her around nagging to mother how I should be taken out of this filthy place to be put in a normal but also filthy school," sighed Lily. How was yours?"

"It was great, kinda boring, but I'm glad to be back," Jess replied softly.

"Hey guys what's up?" came Kim's cheerful voice. Clearly, she'd been successful among the guys she was talking to. "Of course it was boring Jess. How else would it be without Remus? Eh?" chuckled Kim, and they all joined in (Jess a little timidly).

They began looking for an empty compartment, but too late, they were all full. "Oh my god, why didn't you guys save us an empty compartment?!" cried an exasperated Kim. They asked the lady selling snacks if she had seen one with only a few people so they could fit in. Luckily she pointed at the one she had just came out of saying only four people were in it... room for two more. The three cried "Yes!" at the same time and burst the door open.

"Oy! What do you want?" yelped Sirius swiftly hiding something behind his back. The four boys were no other than the infamous Marauders. James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter.

"Darn," whispered Lily but not quietly enough, "I can't believe this is the only compartment god could spare us."

"It doesn't really matter does it. There's only room for six in this room and seeing there are four of us and three of you? Can you do the math for us Evans?" James questioned, hearing Lily's little remark.

Kim on the other hand was excited at the thought of sharing the compartment with the four Marauders. Not only were they the ones in every girls' dreams and hopes, but she was always on the lookout for ways to hook the too quiet Jess with Remus. "Mind if we join you, I mean there are no other compartments."

"Well like James said, only two of you can be seated here, what will the other one do?" Remus asked politely.

"Yea, I guess one of you could sit on me, I truly wouldn't mind!" Sirius said with a smirk.

"Let's get out of here, I can't stand the four for an instant forget a whole train ride!" Lily said through gritted teeth. Clearly aiming the words at James she threw him a don't-you-dare-say-a-word glare. Suddenly the train began to move and knocked the three off balance. Jess landed on Sirius, Kim on Remus, and Lily on James.

"Mind if we switch mate?" Sirius whispered to Remus, who just raised his eyebrows quizingly. The three scrambled to their feet and Jess had changed to a slight shade of pink, while Lily yelled at James for touching her. Kim just stood up and straightened her robes. Unaffected by the events she said, "Sorry about that Remus," and took a seat across from Sirius to watch the show. Jess also took a seat and smiled to herself as Lily began another typical fight with James.

"Hey Evans back off, it's not my fault that YOU happened to fall on ME," James shot back defensively and with a fake look of hurt he mumbled, "or that all girls end up falling for me, but you just took longer than usual."

"I heard that! I don't know how you ended up with an over inflated head that size but you're no better than anyone else. Is it too much to ask for? Just leave me alone James, for a single year!" Lily yelled. Everyone became silent. They all knew how James loved annoying Lily and how much Lily hated him for his behavior and ego but she had never declared it in such a clear manner that this was stunning. However, it was no surprise how fast her temper rose and fell.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, you're the one who came into this compartment looking for," began James, trying to put things back to the light mood before.

"Let it go, James. Lily, you can have my seat," Remus said thoughtfully. He later whispered to James, "It's not worth it." Remus of all people had known of James's love for Lily since the day he had seen the two together, and he just didn't understand James's way of showing it. Luckily that was enough to stop James and to calm Lily down.

"Why thank you, Remus, I see that not all of you are as arrogant as I thought," Lily said in a distastefully. James just shook his head and began talking to Peter, who apparently was keeping to himself.. Sirius began to talk about how he saw a group of good looking brunettes outside of the train who fell for his trademark smile.

"Never fails," he claimed rather loudly. Kim began to say something but thought better not to. She noticed how James was looking at Lily, who was whispering something to Jess. Even after she had just made a fool of him in front of them all he gazed at Lily's hair as if in a trance and was staring with his mouth open. A scary way to look at girl thought Kim gleefully. She had finally figured out what made James Potter tick. He fancies her! Kim couldn't believe it, but when she put it all together it made sense. "You're a fool Kimberly Frey! How could you have not noticed after knowing the two for practically three years!?!" she thought to herself and hit herself on the head. When James looked up he saw a wide grin spread across Kim's face and wondered, "What's wrong with her?" and sighed, "What's wrong with girls?" All this while Jess was totally trying to avoid Remus's eyes and kept looking down so Lily had begun asking her about her summer in detail.

"So, how many girls HAVE fallen for your charms Sirius," asked Kim, bringing her attention back to Black. Suddenly everyone was interested. The other three Marauders knew that Sirius had smitten too many girls to keep count and smiled deviously to themselves. Most of who Sirius only had to smile to get their hearts.

"Well, many," Sirius smiled mischievously, "Wouldn't you like to know." Everyone tried not to burst out in laughing, but it was too much.

"Oh come on we all know that you've probably snoggled every girl in our year by now!" giggled Kim. Lily and Jess began to giggle too.

"What?! Where did you get that from?" quickly regaining his composure Sirius said, "Yea but I see that my charms haven't gotten to you three yet, eh?" asked Sirius (mostly to Kim as she turned a slight shade of pink). For the rest of the train ride they kept mostly in their own groups. Not wanting to make the same mistake twice, when they got to Hogwarts, the girls jumped out of the compartment and began looking for an empty carriage. They found one and Kim began to talk about how James and Lily would be great together.

"Are you kidding me, he is the most arrogant, self-absorbed, git. You have got to be out of your mind!!" yelled Lily

"Well actually you guys do seem right for each other," Jess started slowly, "Maybe you should give him a chance, he does seem interested in you."

"Not you too Jess?! Ok. Fine. Believe what you want to!" Lily snorted. And in came James with Sirius close behind.

"Sorry ladies but no more room any where else, so it's your turn to share," said Sirius in a sly manner.

"Whatever," Lily retorted. This was going to be a long day she thought as James and Sirius smirked.