The Next Great Adventure (A Marauders Fan Fic)

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Lily smiled at Remus as she sat down beside him on the velvet seat; the autumn sun was shining in through the window and Lily couldn't wait to return to Hogwarts, no matter how hard the work for their N.E.W.T.s would be. She loved everything about Hogwarts and she was never happier to be a part of this secret magical world than when she slipped through the barrier to platform nine and three-quarters and boarded the Hogwarts Express; it always filled her with irrepressible excitement to know that, just the other side of the window, there were people who lived their boring lives without magic and when she thought back to the day she found out what she was Lily couldn't help but grin and thank whatever gods there were that looked down on her for giving her the opportunity to lead such a different life.

"How are you Remus?" she asked, noticing that he looked a little paler than usual.

"I'm alright thanks Lily," he replied. "I feel a bit run down but I'm sure the start of year feast will cure that." She laughed and said, "Of course. Well... if you need anything I'm here."

Remus smiled at her and they subsided into silence. It was only when they were saying goodbye for the moment outside Remus' carriage, where Potter and Black were lounging on the seats inside, that she realised she had forgotten to ask him how his summer had been. Once the introductions by the Head Boy and Girl were finished - this year they were a Ravenclaw called Jennifer and a Hufflepuff boy called Tom - some of the Prefects wandered down the corridor to rejoin their friends while others stayed where they were, enjoying the relative peace and quiet of the two carriages which they had up at the front of the train. Much as Lily loved being free of Potter - true to his usual nonchalance when it came to responsibility he hadn't appeared for the talks and she had enjoyed the quiet which had ensued - she didn't want to stay in the Prefects' Carriage and would rather find Cassie, Alice and Mary so that she could talk to them instead. It didn't take long for her to find them and to collapse in a seat next to them; by the time she had finished with the Prefects though they were already heading through the wild countryside of Scotland and had left the sun behind in England; a light drizzle had begun sometime in the middle of the afternoon and now the sky was gradually darkening. By the time they pulled up into Hogsmeade station the clouds had folded themselves over the evening and the lights which stood on wrought iron stands lit their way to the carriages.

As the carriage trundled up the drive towards the entrance to Hogwarts Lily resolutely ignored James and Sirius as they joked with each other; everyone else was talking but since Lily had sworn to herself long ago that she would never like Potter or Black she instead gazed out of the window, waiting for the first glimpse of the warm lights of Hogwarts which would be visible over the tree tops. When the castle came into view Lily couldn't help but grin and James smiled at her as she caught his eye from the corner of hers. "It always makes me smile too," he said quietly, his words passing unnoticed by everyone apart from her since Sirius was, at that very moment, telling a rather exaggerated version of one of his and James' adventures from over the summer.

The subject had just changed to their O.W.L. results when the carriage stopped and they all tumbled out; as he straightened up Sirius gazed up at the castle, pushed his hair back from his forehead and said, "Home at last."

"What's that Padfoot?" James said. "Thought your home was with me now."

Sirius shrugged and said, "Much as I love your mum Prongs Hogwarts is my real home. Well alright... it was my first one."

"That's better," he replied as they strolled into the Great Hall, the crowds of people parting in front of them. As she watched them go Cassie shook her head, half giggled quietly and muttered, "They just never change."

They filed into the hall and sat down towards the top of the Gryffindor table, waiting eagerly for the Sorting to take place; it was their sixth one and yet they were still as excited as the first time they had seen it, though that time their excitement had been mixed with fear too. Everyone in the Great Hall shuffled in their seats as they craned their necks and peered round people, all trying to get the best view of the small stage upon which McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat.