Listen To Your Heart by HiJane_2

Listen to your heart when he's calling for you  Listen to your heart there's nothing else you can do I don't know where you're going and  I don't know why but listen to your heart before you tell him goodbye

By DHT

Disclaimer: Need I say more!

A/N: Hope it’s not too disappointing!

Chapter 3 Off to another year, another chance September 1, 1976

It was 10:50a.m. when James and Sirius were inside the Hogwarts Express Station 93/4. Waiting frantically for their two other friends Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. Well actually Sirius was waiting frantically for their friends, while James' eyes had wondered off and settled on a girl with Auburn hair talking with three other girls. James could tell whom they were from where he stood. Tory Renakovich, Kathleen Stewart and Nicole Martin, Lily's closest friends of what James knew.

"Hey Remus! Peter! Get over here now!" Sirius yelled, which consequently got the attention of not just the people of who were called, but also James (getting out of Evans Mode, as Sirius dubbed it.) and everyone else in a 20-foot radius.

"Hello James, hey Sirius. How was the summer for you guys?" Remus asked walking over to the two other boys with Peter trailing behind.

"Not too bad Moony, not too bad." Sirius replied.

"Hey you guys shouldn't we get on the train?" Peter interjected.

"YES. That's a very good point Peter!" James said moving toward the train and taking his eyes off Lily.

"Well how was your summer Wormtail?" he asked. They now had settled down in a compartment to themselves. "Nothing big happened, it was quite boring with nobody to do anything with." Peter frowned slightly.

"That's not very fun Wormtail. My summer wasn't too exciting either to tell you the truth." Remus said sympathetically.

"Hey cheer up you guys! No wonder you had a boring summer. It's all about attitude!" Sirius said loudly. "Prongs and I had a very fun summer, Prongs was constantly in Lily Land ("WAS NOT!"), while I was constantly eating food and thinking of games to play!" he proclaimed to the cabin.

"I was not in Lily Land, Padfoot!" James called to Sirius.

"Oh yes you were Prongs, I know we played Quidditch and all but you still were spacing it most of the time!" Sirius said with a smile.

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"NOT!"

"TOO!"

"NOT!"

"TOO!"

"Will you both just SHUT UP!" Remus said finally losing his patients.

"Hey there Moony, no need to get your knickers in a twist. By the way Moony, don't you need to be in a Prefects meeting?" Sirius finished with a goofy grin.

"Wha...OH MY HOLY BROWN COW! You're right! I've got to..." Remus not finishing his sentence dashed out the door.

"Did you guys actually plan for him to be late?" Peter asked looking suspiciously between James and Sirius.

"Why would you think a thing like that Wormtail?" James asked with a sly grin.

"Well for one thing...." Peter trailed off not knowing the answer to the question.

"Oh I don't know if it was intentional but it sure was funny to see Moony run like that!" Sirius said with a roaring laugh.

"Yeah that was a good one Padfoot!" James said also laughing. Since Peter had nothing better to do he joined in too, till everyone was laughing uncontrollably.

_______ 

"What's so funny?" Remus asked coming back in the compartment a while later and sitting down.

"You!" Sirius choked out.

"What? Why are you laughing at me?" Remus asked looking about confused.

"Because of you bolting out the door earlier!" James said holding his sides but he HAD settled down some.

"So what? I was late thanks to you guys." Remus retorted.

"Us? What did we do?" Sirius said faking an offended look.

"Oh just stop with your stupid games." Remus sighed resting his head against the wall.

"Oh is Moony in a bad mood!" Sirius teased.

"No I just have a psycho person as a friend." Remus said under his breath.

"Hey Moony I forgot to get mad at you earlier," Sirius said calmly.

"What in the world did I do?" Remus asked raising his head and giving Sirius an incredulous look. "You got to Prongs here." Sirius said shaking his head and giving James a pat on the back.

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, James said...."

"What for heavens name are you talking about Padfoot!" "James said, (Sirius gulped loudly) he's...he's not going to pick on Snivellus as as...MUCH!" Sirius flinched dramatically.

"WHAT?" Peter and Remus chimed together snapping their heads and gave James a look of shock.

-~*~&~-~*~&~-~*~-~&~*~-

"Hey Lils over here! We're all over here!" Tory shouted over to Lily. Tory Renakovich had medium brown hair to her shoulder and sparkling silver blue eyes. She was the very outgoing, boy crazy one, sort of flirtatious, but always by your side. Lily had spotted the others and then went to join them.

"Hey everyone! I hope you all had a great summers?" Lily inquired.

"Yes Lily, but we need to get to the train it's about to leave." Kathleen said. Kathleen Stewart had shiny black hair and violet gray eyes; she was the shy, quite one of the group. She can be very strong willed and an independent person at times.

"Yes we had better hurry up if we want to go to Hogwarts." Nicole said seriously. Nicole Martin had dirty blond hair and light honey brown eyes. She was the wise one and the best to go for advice. She always tried to see the good in everyone even if it didn't make much sense to the others around her.

The girls had settled into an empty compartment and started talking of the summer vacation. "Oh Lily, what did you do this summer? Did the wedding go okay for you?" Kathleen asked with her head tilted to one side.

"Yeah Lils, tell us about your summer!" Tory asked loudly.

"Okay well getting ready for the wedding was a boring affair! Uh! I didn't have fun I'll tell you that much! But after the wedding it was ok...." Lily drifted off thinking of the other incident at Diagon Alley.

"Lily did you get a letter from someone we all know?" Nicole asked slyly.

"Well actually no I didn't (Lily went a bit pink, Only a bit!)...But we did accidentally bump into each other at Diagon Alley..." Lily trailed off lamely.

"WHAT! And you never mention it to us before?" Tory asked surprised.

"Well...I guess."

"Spill it Lily." Nicole implored.

"Okay my parents and I..." Lily then proceeded to tell of the 'incident'.

"Really? He didn't act pompous?" Kathleen asked.

"See Lily, what have I always told you about James!" Nicole said to Lily.

"Well...I don't know. I don't think he can change that fast. But he did act...some what better, probably because of his parents or something." Lily shrugged.

Kathleen then put in. "Lily you need to give James a chance. He's not that bad, he's just trying to make you like him. You need to get to know him better before you totally dislike him to no end."

"What? You guys, I can't do that he's just too...well you know!" Lily finished lamely and shook her head.

'But Lily you are getting used to the idea of getting to know him since Diagon Alley. Am NOT! You can't lie to yourself, I say you do and you DO!' she debated herself.

"Actually girls I think Potter has given up on me finally!" Lily said.

"Why do you think that?" Nicole asked.

"Well because at Diagon Alley he didn't try and make any moves on me, come to think of it." she continued.

"Well I still think he might actually be trying to show that different side we've been talking about." Nicole said with a knowing smile.

'Well I sure hope Potter doesn't change from what he was like at Diagon Alley. Because then I might change my mind...' Lily thought.

_______ 

"Well then I said..." Tory was telling the others who were listening about a boy she had dated and then dumped before the end of last year. Lily just nodded to Tory every so often and giving a convincing smile. While really wondering about the next school year and what would be in store for her there.

"You know who I have my eye on this year?" Tory said looking starry eyed while changing into her school robes. "No who?" Kathleen asked curiously also getting changed. "Sirius BLACK!" Tory screeched.

"What! You...You.... Are you sure?" Lily said looking baffled (Lily and Nicole had already changed clothes).

"What? Why couldn't I?" Tory asked surprised.

"Because..Because..." Lily said, then giving up because of the shocked look on Tory's face. "Yeah well I guess you could go for it, if that's what you want." Lily said smiling slightly.

"Oh yes I do! He's ssoo very Cute and so very crazy! Not to mention available!" Tory yelled loudly. Lily, Nicole and Kathleen just shook their heads knowing that Sirius wasn't going to last very long. He'll be history in maybe about a couple of weeks at the most...well maybe.

"Girl's I can see the castle," Kathleen told the others looking out the window. "We're getting close now."

"I'm glad to be back at Hogwarts finally." Lily said quietly.

"Yes it will be good to go to classes and see our fellow classmates." Nicole said looking pointedly at Lily. But Lily wasn't paying attention she was too wrapped up in her own thoughts of Hogwarts and some fellow Gryffinors.

-~*~&~-~*~&~-~*~-~&~*~-

"WHAT!" Peter and Remus gapped at James.

"No you guys, I've changed battle tactics," James said seriously. "I've decided that I just want to be a really good friend before (He sighed deeply) I want anything else." James finished looking down at his feet, avoided making eye contact.

"WOW Prongs! I don't think I've ever heard you speak that mature before!" Remus said in disbelief.

"Yeah Prongs, watch yourself you might be made a.... PRFECT!" Sirius said with a disgusted look on his face.

"Hey watch it!" Remus said pointing to his Prefects badge and giving Sirius a well-deserved punch.

"Hey you can't punch me and get away with it Moony!" Sirius yelled at Remus and started chasing him around the compartment (which is not a good idea because of the lack of space) and landed on top of Peter. "OUCH! Get off you guys! You're squishing me!" Peter said muffled, he had his face pressed against the window.

"Oh sorry Wormtail! It wasn't intentional, just so you know!" Sirius said laughing hard.

"Ow Padfoot, that one hurt." Remus said nursing his foot that had been stamped on by Sirius.

"Oh you'll live Moony, don't be such a wimp about it!" Sirius teased. "What? I am certainly not being a wimp at all. You nearly broke my foot!" Remus added with a glare.

______ 

"What made you want to just be friends anyway James?" Remus inquired later.

"It started earlier this summer I guess, you know how I was wanting to get to know Lily a little bit better. I'm serious (not a pun) this time guys, Lily going to be mine this year...My family, Sirius and I then saw Lily in Diagon Alley. I think that's when the plan was actually formed in my mind completely." James said matter of factly.

"What do you mean you saw Lily?" Remus asked confused. "Well it was when..." James also told the story and was interrupted many times by Sirius and his version of the shopping trip.

"We're getting close to Hogwarts, I can see it from here," Peter said looking out the window. "Don't you think we should change?" Peter asked the others nervously.

"Yeah, we should. We'll be there in a couple of minutes." commented Remus looking out the window also.

"We're going to be in our sixth year once we step off the train you guys." James said smiling.

"Yep wait till we see our best bud Snivellus!" Sirius smiled wickedly.

"We need to think of a good prank first! Right?" Peter spoke uncertainly to the others.

"Well sure, why not? I always love a good pranking." Sirius said rubbing his hands together.

"What are you planning Padfoot?" James asked with a look of curiosity.

"Well Prongs, I would love to do in my dear sweeeeeet Cousins! Remember?" Sirius said with a wide smile and with his eyebrows raised.

"Oh yes, that would a most splendid plan Padfoot." James said with a smirk too.

"What do you guys have planned?" Remus was looking uncertainly about this brilliant plan of theirs.

"Oh you'll see after the Feast!" Sirius said looking in James direction. "Oh yeah, this will be a good one Padfoot!" James chimed in. Remus just shook his head and changed quickly into his Hogwarts robes.

-~*~&~-~*~&~-~*~-~&~*~-

The Marauders were sitting in the Great Hall at the Gryffindor table about 10ft. away from Lily and her friends, eating after waiting for all the sorting and Dumbledore's speech to be done.

"Wow I don't think I could have taken much more waiting!" Sirius said finally getting to eat every food that was nearest him.

"Yeah, all we need now is our long awaited prank to make today perfect." James said with a coy smile and sneaking a glance in Lily's direction.

"So are you going to tell me and Peter your plan or do we have to guess?" Remus said exasperated.

"Just wait in about 3...2...1..." Sirius counting down, then there were loud yells from across the room.

Narcissa and Bellatrix Black (Sirius's cousins of course!) had both began dancing wildly about the room and tugging at their hats trying to pull them off. Students around the room were pointing and laughing at the sight of the two.

"What did you guys do?" Peter asked a little unsure.

"Well we...ha ha...we jinxed their hats to...ha ha...to shock them slightly if they ever got too sweaty!" Sirius said with a loud laugh.

"Really!" Remus said slightly amused.

"Yeah it was Padfoot's idea here, but I'm the one that found the right jinx!" James said with a hearty laugh as well.

"How long will the jinx last Prongs?" Remus asked.

"Well it depends, if they ever get their hats off," James snickered.

"They can just wash the hats and then the jinx will wear off after that!" Sirius finished with more laughter. "I hope they'll be okay." Peter said looking worried. "Who cares!" Sirius and James said in unison with roaring laughs

-~*~&~-~*~&~-~*~-~&~*~-

"Who's yelling?" Lily asked worriedly looking about the Great Hall for the cause of all the noise. "Oh don't worry Lily, they'll be okay. It's only Sirius's foul cousins from Slytherin. Narcissa and Bellatrix Black." Tory smiled and looking in the direction of the other side of the room.

"Girls come with me I'll take you to the Hospital Wing, right now! We'll find out what's has happened to you!" Professor Slughorn the Head of Slytherin House called to Narcissa and Bellatrix, so the three of them left in a hurry out of the Great Hall to the Hospital Wing.

"Well at least now we'll know they'll be okay now. But who would want to harm them for no good reason that we can see?" Lily asked looking around the Hall for the possible culprits.

Lily's eyes then settled on four boys down away from where she was sitting. There was James with very unkempt jet-black hair, intense hazel eyes that were framed by round glasses that at the moment were about to fall off because he was laughing heartily.

Sirius with coal gray eyes and straight black hair that went to his shoulder and howling with laughter too.

Then there was Peter with his small watery eyes and his short blond hair cut above his ears, biting his nails nervously and looking worried.

Also Remus and his calm and mature demeanor, looking around with his warm brown eyes and his sandy brown hair that he casually swept out of his eyes snickering slightly.

"Who do you think pulled the prank Lily?" Kathleen asked Lily.

"Well I thought it probably was those good for nothing Marauders! Didn't Tory just say that those girls were Sirius Cousins!" Lily said then flinched because she had just thought of the earlier conversation with her friends about the Marauders and harsh judgements.

Nicole had been thinking along the same lines and said. "Lily watch what you say, because we really do want you to give James a benefit of the doubt. Who knows it might have been someone else!"

"Well I just can't go over there and say 'Hi Potter I think we should be friends, I don't care about our past fighting relationship!' No way! That's just too dumb!" Lily said uncomfortably.

"I think it's a good idea Lily, you just need to see James in a good light. If you can befriend him he might show you a better side!" Nicole advised.

"No don't be so weird as that! I can't possibly!" Lily said determinedly. The girls had let the matter drop (for now), because Dumbledore had just risen in his seat. He finished his speech and told them to go get to bed.

The girls stood up and walked out of the Great Hall and up to the Gryffindor Tower. Tory was talking about how Sirius had grown a lot over the summer vacation and how much more attractive he had gotten, while the others just quietly nodded and agreed, silently thinking of other things.

Lily was wondering more of if her friends were right about all they had said of James and also if she really should give James the benefit of the doubt even if he acted very mean last year after their O.W.L.s. But then also thinking about this summer and about the James she had met in Diagon Alley with her parents. 'Hmmm I just don't get that guy.' Lily though to herself walking up the staircase.

-~*~&~-~*~&~-~*~-~&~*~-

James stood up with the other Marauders and quickly scanned the many people making their way out of the Hall looking for the girl of perfection herself. Then he spotted her walking toward the exit talking to her friends as he gave an involuntary sigh. James thought of how he was to ask her, to tell her what he really wanted. 'Start slowly, remember that James...Just you wait Lily Evans, you won't know what hit you when you realize what you've always needed but never have known you did.' James thought as he watched Lily walk out of the Great Hall and up the stairs to the Gryffindor Tower.

A/N: That’s all for now everyone! I hope it didn’t jump around too much, I’m afraid I might have done that a bit. Do you think it needs a bit more – James/Lily Interactions? Lily thinking of James? Is Lily thinking of herself too much? I need feedback on all these questions!

Well read and review! Thanks! ~HiJane_2