Hey everybody! I'll presume you read the first chapter if your reading this so thanks!

Anyways I do not own Harry Potter no matter how much I want to. One day I will but for now it belongs to the fabulous J.K Rowling :P

Chapter 2

Finding James

Sirius loped away from his friends in his dog form. Intend on finding James he flew across the cold ground, his paws barely touching the grass. He was no longer aware of his friends' footsteps sprinting after him, the only think he could here was the blood pounding in his ears as he desperately followed James scent. Weaving in and out of the trees he did not break his stride as he lost James scent, but put his head down and urged himself faster until he picked it up again. Sirius suddenly lurched to a stop, panting, and swiftly ran round a tree twice before stopping and glancing up. His head snapped down and the grey gaze covered the area quickly. Sirius leapt to the edge of the verge and his heart stopped. Giving a heart wrenching howl, he skidded down the bank and transformed back into a human.

Sirius stared at the stag in horror as a feeling of foreboding swept over his body. He knelt down beside the creature who was bleeding from the head and had numerous scratches down its legs. "Prongs! Prongs wake up!" He cried hoarsely. He pressed his head to the stag's chest and sighed in relief as he heard a pulse. He scooped the stag up carefully and stumbled back up the bank. "MOONY! WORMTAIL! I HAVE HIM!" He fell to his knees as his friends came running up to him, breathing heavily. Remus stared at James with wide eyes, "Why is he a stag?!" Sirius shook his head, "I don't know!" "I'll go tell Dumbledore we found him and you and Wormtail take him to our dorm. Ok?" Sirius and Peter nodded and Remus ran out of sight.

James opened his eyes to a strangely clear room. He heard voices talking loudly and turned his head. An acute pain made him drop his head again. He lifted his hand up to rub his head only to find a hoof instead. He tried to let out a scream but only managed a muffled rumble from the back of his throat. This was the moment his friends realised he was awake. Relief washed over all of them and Sirius leapt on James bed hugging him fiercely not caring he was still an animal…or not realising James wasn't sure which. In any case he swiped Sirius with a hoof and he immediately let go, affronted as he rubbed his cheek.

James closed his eyes tightly and though of being a human again. In a second he was stretching his long limbs and Sirius, Remus and Peter were all hugging him. James groaned as his head pounded and they all released him, "Water," he croaked. With a swish of his wand Remus produced a glass of water and was holding it in place for James to drink from. "Thanks." He said wiping his mouth on his dirty sleeve. The other three looked at him expectantly and James groaned, "Please…I'm fine." He avoided eye contact as he got up to use the bathroom and the others exchanged worried looks. "What…what happened

yesterday, with Lily?" Remus asked hesitantly, watching carefully as James' body tensed. "Nothing." Sirius scoffed and pushed himself of James' bed. He strode over to James and placed a hand on his shoulder, pulling him round so they were face to face. "Mate, Evans told me what happened." Sirius watched James face but it remained devoid of any emotion. "It's not true Prongs, not one bit." James shrugged off Sirius and disappeared back into the bathroom. "You can tell them what happened, Padfoot. I don't care." His voice seemed indifferent but they all heard the slight tremble as he said it.

Lily walked down the stairs with Mary and Alice. Her silence went unnoticed as they chatted away oblivious to what had taken place last night. Sirius' distraught eyes and shaking body swarm in front of her vision as they had been doing all night. She hadn't been able to yet the image of that out of her mind and as a result had not sleep at all last night. She had waited for any signs that the Marauders had returned with James but she hadn't heard anything. She couldn't stop feeling guilty; she'd reminded herself that everything she said was true but the knot in the bottom of her stomach had not gone away. Sighing she followed Alice and Mary into the Great Hall. They sat down in their usual spaces; the other end of the table from the Marauders, the one closest to the entrance. She looked down the table and the knot in her stomach tightened as she saw none of the Marauders were there. Taking some bacon and putting it onto her plate, she chewed it trying to gain an air of thoughtfulness. It appeared to be working as her friends left her to her thoughts and chatted to some Gryffindor boys, unaware of her inner turmoil. Lily glanced up at the teachers table and her gaze landed on the headmaster. He was drumming his long fingernails on the wooden table and had not touched the pile of food on his plate. His face seemed older today as it the lines were etched more deeply into his skin and there were black bags under his eyes. As the doors of the Great Hall opened again you could see all the girls immediately turn their attention to the boy who has just walked in. Today however he ignored the giggling girls calling out for him and headed straight to the teacher's table with Remus and Peter. Lily watched Sirius as he talked to Dumbledore and gestured out the door. Professor Dumbledore pushed back his chair and climbed down the platform. The three Marauders made to follow him but he held up a hand and said something, pointing to the food. She saw Sirius shake his head but Remus pulled him down. On the way down Remus caught her eye, Lily gave him a smile but he did not return it. He ducked his head and poured a glass of pumpkin juice. I guess I'm not forgiven yet, Lily thought.

The Marauders did not play any more pranks that year. They hardly ever laughed or make jokes. James looked sullen all the time and didn't talk much. Sirius didn't go out with any more girls, he didn't flirt or smile at them. Remus became quieter, not talking to anybody outside of the Marauders. Peter still did their bidding gladly, but it was clear that he disliked the sudden changes in his friends. He also became quieter, his friendly eyes lost their shine and he resorted to nods as a way of communication. James didn't ask Lily out. In fact he didn't even go near Lily, though even if he wanted to he couldn't. His friends escorted him everywhere, circling round him like bodyguards. They ignored Lily, Lily ignored them. She told herself that they would be back to pulling pranks anytime and irritating her. But they never did. As the end of the year approached rapidly the school seemed to lose all of its' life and

excitement. The Marauders new attitude was affecting the whole school and Lily didn't like it. She also still refused to admit it was all her fault. Her friends tried to get out of her what was said on that fateful day but Lily wouldn't say a word about it. Eventually they gave up, but Lily could still here the whole school whispering about how she had destroyed the Marauders and especially James Potter. If she as honest Lily could see James had changed, there was no hint of his cocky smile, teasing tone or twinkling hazel eyes. But as Lily reminded herself often it was not her fault, probably just another plan to make her fall in love with him.

The end of the year came with no change and as they all went home Lily eventually forgot about what had happened that day at the lake. James however had no luck, the words still haunted his dreams and so he made a pact. To give up on Lily Evans. To not talk to her if possible and to keep as far away from her as possible. Although as James would later find out, this was not as easy as it sounded.

What did you think?

Leave me a comment, thanks for reading