Always and Forever

chapter 1

Lily's pov-
I hugged my mum tightly, only releasing when she squeezed my waist gently. I smiled at her and turned towards my dad, pulling him into an embrace. He kissed my cheek softly and I removed my arms, picking up my trunk as I turned round quickly, not wanting to say goodbye. I called my goodbyes over my shoulder as I hurried away, staring at the ground. I tripped over a cement crack in the ground and flew forwards, landing in the arms of something hard.

"Nice to see you too, Evans"

I looked up in shock at the face of none other than James Potter.

"Sorry" I mumbled, suddenly well aware that his arms were the only thing keeping me from falling down. He seemed to notice this too because he chuckled quietly before securing me on my feet and stepping backwards.

"Good summer?" He asked, I looked up at him for a moment allowing myself to get lost in his hazel eyes. They grew wide with concern when I didn't answer.

"Evans?" He pushed still waiting for an answer.

"Oh...erm yeah alright I guess" and with that i turned and stumbled away. I felt his gaze on my back and I turned back around only to be met with a raised eyebrow and a questioning look. I ignored it and carried on towards the bright red train.

As I stepped onto it, nostalgia overtook me and I looked round platform 9&3/4, realising this was the last September 1st that I would be here. Sighing softly, I walked down the aisle, searching for the girls. I spotted Alice first, she was sat entwined with her boyfriend Frank, her short blonde hair tickling his face as she leaned into his chest.

"Ali!" I exclaimed, she squealed before unraveling herself from Frank and jumping up to pull me into a hug. I hugged her back and followed her to the seats, taking one next to her.

"Have you seen Marly or Mar yet?" She shook her head. Marlene, Mary, Alice and I had shared a dorm since first year and we had always been a tight knit group. As if on cue, the two girls burst through the door, giggling as they almost bumped heads. I stood up to be instantly pulled into a bone crushing hug by Marls. She and I had always been the closest of the four and I relished in the feeling of her hug. She must have sensed this because she gazed at me worriedly.

"What's got you all hot and bothered Lils?" She asked me her face masked with concern.

"Oh nothing much, just head girl dut-" I was cut off by three pairs of arms being flung around me as i held the badge proudly.

"You did it!" Mary whispered as she held me in the middle of the carriage. I smiled at her warmly before we all sat down and the train set off with a jolt. Frank had left the compartment to find his friends. He was in the seventh year like us but he had more friends in the sixth year as he has moved into their dorm to avoid the marauders. He didn't dislike the boys but he preferred to steer clear of their never ending pranks.

"Have any of you heard who's head boy?" I asked, they all shook their heads so i continued "I really hope it's Remy". Remus Lupin was also a seventh year gryffindor, he was a part of the marauders gang but he was the most likeable.

"I bet it will be," Marlene stated, "He's worked so hard, I'd be shocked if it wasn't him".

"Me too Marly, me too" I stood up and made my way to the door, sliding it open "I've got to go do my duties now, there's a prefect meeting to be held"

"Let us know who head boy is, will you?" Mary called.

"I will" I shouted back, already half way down the aisle.
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I entered the prefect compartment, carefully closing the door behind me. I turned round, scanning the room for any sign of Remus. I searched for another minute before taking a seat next to a hufflepuff girl named Elizabeth. She smiled at me kindly before returning to her book. I stared at the closed door, willing remus to walk through. It slid open and a warm laugh filled the room. Before I could look up to inspect, I felt an arm snaking it's way round my shoulders.

"What do you want Potter? This compartment is only for prefects and the heads." I shrugged his arm from my shoulders and turned to face him.

He laughed at my scowl, "Maybe I am meant to be here, maybe i'm not." He shrugged his shoulders, before addressing the whole compartment.

"Hey everyone, you may already know me but for those who don't, my name is James Potter. I'm in gryffindor house, i'm captain of the quidditch team and i'm head boy!" He glanced down at me, just in time to see my jaw hit the floor. I quickly recovered before adding:
"I'm Lily Evans, also a gryffindor and i'm head girl".

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Twenty minutes later the meeting had come to an end and I was walking down the train to find my friends. I entered the compartment they were in before I left, to be faced with not only my friends but the marauders as well. I smiled warmly at Peter (a short, chubby boy who always seemed to be the underdog) before turning and hugging Remus.

"Careful Moony, if Prongs catches you with his girl he'll kill you" I turned glaring at Sirius Black. He was a renowned player and the biggest troublemaker of the lot.

"I am not-" I began to explain myself but Potter cut me off.

"She is not an object Paddy, she's not anyone's" he sighed before glancing at me, a hint of longing in his eye. I smiled at him gratefully, before turning towards the window. This was going to be a long ride.