James and Lily: It Took A While

Chapter Two: A Pathway

Sorry everyone (well, all four of my followers) but this is a pathway chapter. I need it, but it's not exactly riveting. But don't skip it, or you'll be totally lost for some of the story!

Thanks and comment what you think!

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Chapter Two

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Of course in this world peace doesn't last very long.

Not five minutes later, just after the train had pulled out of the station, guess who showed up?

James Potter, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, Bailey Stinson, and Stacey Stone all entered the compartment laughing. Remus came in too, and he acknowledged me with a quick smile. He didn't bother me.

The rest of them did.

Stacey Stone and Bailey Stinson, were, as you could say, the popular girls in Gryffindor house. Naturally, they'd joined up with Potter and Black's crew, creating the biggest bunch of airheads I'd ever come across.

Except for, of course, Remus. He was the only smart one out of them all.

"Lily come on we have to go!" Remus jolted me out of my thoughts. "Prefects compartment, remember?"

Shoot, I thought. I'd completely forgotten about the Prefects' meeting! I jumped up, then hurried out of the compartment, tripping over my Bailey's outstretched foot as I did so.

With one sad glance at my book, which was resting on my seat, I fled the compartment, with the snickers of Potter and his followers trailing behind me.

"Sorry about that Lily. Bailey is an idiot but I can't convince Sirius of that," Remus said as they hurried through the train.

"It's not your fault. They're gonna be who they're gonna be."

"I know. I tried to convince them not to enter your compartment, but James insisted that this was his favorite one," Remus gave me a sly, knowing look.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. He shouldn't get his hopes up."

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When Remus and I returned to our compartment after patrolling the corridors for a while, we found James and his crew still there. Great.

I make my way to the corner of the seats where I had left my book. But it wasn't there. I looked under the seat, in the shelves above my seat, but I could NOT find it! That's when my senses caught up to me, and I slowly turned around.

Everyone but Remus was staring innocently back at me. Remus was trying, and failing, to avoid my gaze, but I knew he knew what they were up to.

"Looking for something Evans?" James asked, nonchalant.

"I left my book right on this seat, Potter," I spat. "Where is it?"

"You mean this book?" Stella Stone held up my book-or, what was left of it. "I had to use some of the pages for my cats basket. It was urgent I swear," she lied through her teeth, simpering at me through it all.

I snatched my book out of her hands and examined the damage. Of course, she'd ripped out about fifty pages and they were all from THE BACK HALF of my book, so I wouldn't be able to finish it! I held in a sigh, before dropping the book and excusing myself from the compartment. Rushing into the ladies' small bathroom, I started crying, but I had no idea why. It wasn't so much for my book (but partly) but because the year had gotten off to such a horrible beginning. And Remus hadn't even thought to warn me that they were planning on vandalizing my stuff. If I had had a bit of a warning that when I returned to the compartment I'd find one of my possessions in disrepair, I might have been able to blow it off.

But that was an AMAZING book, and I was right at the ending. Although Stella had done it, I blamed that arrogant good-for-nothing James Potter. And I was kind of mad at Remus for not warning me, but sometimes he had to go along with their pranks just so they wouldn't think we were friends. But...

I stood up, and decided I was NOT going to let James Potter and his friends bother me this year. I would ignore them, and act like nothing had happened. Taking a deep breath, I did my best to wipe the tear stains off my face, and then opened the door and re-entered the compartment. I stepped over Bailey's foot and sat myself down in the corner. Determined not to talk to anyone, I stared intently out the window.

"Evans," James said.

"What?" I grimaced.

"Here's your book."

He threw it at me, and I fumbled it. It dropped to the ground, and just as I reached down to grab it, Bailey stood up and announced she was going to the bathroom. And, doing her best to step ALL OVER my book, she flounced out of the compartment, obviously quite pleased with herself.

I snatched up my book (which was now in a state of disrepair) and shoved it into my bag which was resting at my feet. "Thanks Potter," I said with as much sarcasm as I could muster.

"Evans-"

But I ignored him. I didn't care what he had to say. I wanted to leave the compartment so bad, but I wasn't going to let them see that they were bothering me, and I wasn't going to tell them to go away, because then they'd also be able to tell that they were bothering me.

So I rode the rest of the journey staring out the window of the train, watching the landscape fly by.