Prongs and Lilypad

1. Back to Hogwarts We Go

For Lily, the rest of the summer passed relatively quickly. To keep herself busy, she cleaned her room the muggle way, packing the things she's take with her at the end of the school year and getting rid of the things she no longer wanted; many dolls, old clothes, purses, and other miscellaneous items were now scattered around the town in different thrift stores and consignment shops, accounts that her mother would keep for her while she was away at Hogwarts.

She'd been needing to do this for a long time, seeing as none of this stuff had really been touched since she'd started Hogwarts all those years ago. Her room was practically bare, now. She now only had four boxes full of books, movies, and other personal items that she couldn't bear to part with, plus her Hogwarts trunk and everything it held.

Lily sadly stared at the boxes that had been pushed into her closet for a few moments before closing the door and making her way down the stairs, her trunk shrunken and in her pocket. "Mum, Dad, I'm leaving for the train." She kissed her father's cheek and hugged him tightly, and went on to do the same to her mother.

"Write often." Rose reminded her, smiling although her eyes were filling with tears.

"Will do." Lily smiled and, without further adieu, apparated to Kings Cross.

*~*~*

To say Lily was happy to be on the platform once more was an understatement.

She'd be seeing her friends within moments, people that she'd missed so much over the summer. Of course they'd written letters, but she hadn't seen much of any of her friends and she had missed being with people who understood what and who she was. Try as they might, her parents couldn't come close to Marlene, Alice, and the Marauders.

She cringed a little. Before 6th year, she never thought she'd refer to the Marauders as her friends (aside from Remus, of course) but here she was, possibly closer to them than she was Marlene and Alice. Lily shook her head and enlarged her trunk, loaded it on the train, and was about to board when she heard something that made her freeze.

"Oh Lilypad!" Sirius Black had just screamed her nickname across the platform. She couldn't bite back her grin as she turned, then ran towards him. Sirius caught her as she collided with him, hoisting her up and hugging her tightly.

She found herself laughing as he set her down. "Hey, Sirius." He grinned and ruffled her hair a bit.

"How are you?"

"I'm well." She smiled. "And you? Where are the others?"

"I'm better since I finally got away from my family." He gripped his trunk once more as he looked around. "Not sure. Prongs, Moony, and I came together but I don't think we apparated to the same spot."

She frowned. "And Peter?"

"Haven't seen much of him." He frowned as well. "He's been pretty distant this summer, always saying that his mum is sick."

"Hmm." She crossed her arms. That did explain his lack of letters. "Well, how about--"

She was interrupted by someone wrapping their arms around her and hugging her tightly. She recognized the arms, but his smell is what really set him apart. He always smelled like the forbidden forest, smoke, and spice.

Lily grinned as he moved his hands to cover her eyes. "Guess who."

"Hmm, Remus?"

"...No."

"Peter?"

"Seriously?" Lily grinned and turned around in his hold.

"I knew it was you, silly. I just like messing with you." She hugged him, and, standing on tiptoes, kissed his cheek. "How are you?"