It seemed like the train ride was taking longer than usual with Lily not with them, but she did manage to pop in every once in a while and stay with the other three girls for a few short minutes before returning to her Prefect duties.

      By the time the sky was painted in black and night had fallen upon them, the girls changed into their school robes and got out of the train.

     Hagrid was standing above the crowd, calling out for first years to follow him as he always did.

     To their greatest joy, Lily joined them on taking a carriage to Hogwarts and so, Jenna, Lily, Marlene, and Alice got on a carriage and on they went.

     "No offense, Jenna," Lily started, looking like she was exactly going to give an offensive comment, "but your brother is an arrogant toerag."

     "None taken," Jenna said earnestly, grinning.

     "You were so much alike back in first year," Lily continued. "At least you've changed a bit now."

     "Nah, she's still just as bad as him," said Marlene bluntly, still busy eating the remaining of the pumpkin pies.

     "Thanks, Mar." Jenna shook her head in disbelief.

     "Oh, for crying out loud! Will you ever stop eating!?" Lily scolded Marlene.

     "No," she answered with her mouth full. "I'm just warming up my stomach for dinner."

     "I'm just saying this for your own good, Mar," Lily went on kindly, but Marlene obviously wasn't listening. "You've had a ton of sweets on the train and if you want to have some space left for the feast tonight, then you better stop. I'm just worried that you'd get sick, that's all."

     "Yes, mum." Marlene said sarcastically with an eye-roll, putting the rest of the pies away.

     Although there really was no point, seeing as only one bite was left anyway.

     "Imagine Marlene not having space left for first-of-the-term feast," said Alice in a giggle.

     "No arguing on that!" Marlene shrugged, grinning proudly at her ability to eat.

     "I like your hair, by the way, Jen. Blue always suits you the best." said Alice. "I mean last year that you had it purple it still looked good on you, but blue is something else."

     Jenna smiled. "Thanks, Al."

     "I really don't get you, Jen," Marlen started thoughtfully. "I mean... you have the ability to change your looks into the most gorgeous woman on earth. You can even make yourself look like a veela, for Merlin's sake! But how come you just change your hair from blue to purple and back to blue again?"

     "Because I'm not gonna change how I look to please others." Jenna shrugged. "Besides, I like it when my hair looks like this, no matter how much everyone tells me it's weird."

     "Well, I like it," Lily said kindly, beaming at her. "You look beautiful as always, Jen."

     "Of course you do." Jenna smiled back, bringing her sideways into a short hug.

Lily had a way of seeing the best in people, even when they couldn't see it themselves. Maybe it was in the caring way she talked, or maybe it was her genuine smile, or even her kind green eyes, but all in all, Jenna felt lucky to have a friend like Lily in her life.

Lily was certainly the mother of the group, always trying to get the others out of trouble. But what Jenna loved most about her was her kind heart, and the fact that she never hesitated to put others welfare before her own.

Although if there were only two people in the world that she couldn't tolerate, it would be Sirius and James.

     "I'm proud of you, Jen." said Lily. "See? This is why I keep saying that you're nothing like that Potter. I swear, if he had the ability to change himself, he wouldn't hesitate for a second to make himself look cooler and to mess up his stupid hair more!"

     At those words, Lily found the three girls grinning knowingly at her direction.

     "What?" She raised a brow in confusion.

     "I think you like it!" Marlene finally said, smirking.

     "Excuse me?"

     "I think you like his hair," she went on, "and I think that you secretly want to run your hands through his hair and mess it up even more!"

      "I think I'm gonna be sick," said Jenna at the thought of it.

      "Ugh, Marlene!" Lily blushed but shook her head in disgust. "See? This is what I'm talking about! All the sweets you ate have finally managed to damage your brain and you're saying nonsense! You've had too much sweets."

     She gasped dramatically. "One can never have enough sweets, madam."

***

When they finally arrived at Hogwarts, the four girls smiled to themselves, happy to be back in the magnificent castle and walk through its magical halls.

   Walking through the grand doors of the Great Hall, the four Gryffindor girls took the seats furthest away from James Potter and his three friends due to Lily's insisting.

    When the first years came and the sorting ceremony ended, to everyone's joy – mostly Marlene's – the feast began and plates after plates of delicious looking food appeared on the table.

     When they were done, Professor Dumbledore stood up from his seat. "Now that we're all fed and watered, I would like to say a few words. Mr. Filch asked me to kindly remind you that magic in the corridors is forbidden, and the dark forest is, as always, out of bounds."

     He said, his eyes wondering over James, Sirius, Remus and Peter, who were grinning at each other knowingly.

     "And now I would ask the Prefects to lead the first years to their common rooms. Goodnight to you all."

     "Psst!" Someone called from the other side of the table and the girls turned their heads around, just to find James Potter grinning at Lily.

"C'mon, Evans. Let's put the kids to bed." He winked, standing up.

     Lily groaned. "He's not even a prefect! What is he playing at?" She then stood up as well, ignoring James's presence to the best of her abilities. "Gryffindor first years, follow me please!"

     "Follow us, you mean." said James, but Lily was already gone.

     "Nice try, Prongs," said Sirius, sniggering and patting him on the back. "It's gonna happen soon, mate, just hold on in there!"

     "I will, Padfoot. I will." And off he went, as arrogantly as ever.

     Jenna, Marlene, and Alice stood up as well to follow the rest of the students out of the Great Hall and towards their common room.

     "Ugh... I think I'm going to be sick." said Marlene, holding her stomach in pain.

     Jenna grinned, ready to say a remark, but Marlene beat her into it before she could even open her mouth.

     "Not a word, Potter!" She snapped. "I think I'll go to Madam Pomfrey. If Lily asked, tell her Marlene's dead, if you must. But nothing about my stomach! You understand!?" She pointed a finger at Jenna and Alice.

     "Sir, yes, sir!" Jenna saluted, making Alice giggle and Marlene roll her eyes as she separated from them to go to hospital wings.

     When the two girls finally reached the Gryffindor common room, they stopped in their tracks, forgetting to ask Lily what the new password was.

     "Great, now what?" Jenna huffed.

     "It's okay, I'm sure someone will come soon and let us in," Alice said hopefully.

     And sure enough, someone came. But it turned out to be the last person Jenna wanted to see.

     "Locked out, are we, Jenny?" The boy said with a handsome grin.

     "If you know the password, Black, just spit it out!" Jenna snapped, folding her arms.

     "I would much rather stay outside here and enjoy your company." Sirius winked.

     "You little–!" She was about to curse, but stopped when Remus and Peter came into sight.

     "What's going on?" Remus asked gently.

     "Nothing, just having a little fun, that's all, Moony." said Sirius, not taking his eyes off Jenna.

     "We don't know the password," Alice explained, seeing as Jenna was too busy glaring at Sirius.

     "Oh, it's Hippogriff." Remus said, and the portrait of the fat lady opened on cue.

     "Thanks, Remus," said Jenna, finally managing a smile like she always did at his usual manner.

     When they got in, they saw Lily and an older prefect boy coming down either side of the dormitory's stairs, apparently done instructing the first years.

     "Oi, J.P!" James called out to Jenna, coming through the portrait hole. "McGonagall wants to see you in her office."

      "Jenna! We've just arrived!" Lily scolded. "What could you have possibly done already?"

      "What? I haven't done anything," said Jenna defensively. "Yet," she added with a grin.

      "Where's Marlene, anyway?" Lily asked.

     Jenna and Alice gave each other a look, but Jenna quickly said, "I better go see what Minerva wants. Can't keep the woman waiting."

     And so she left the common room, leaving the burden of explaining on poor Alice.