"How come you're not happy that you have a new little brother?" Marlene asked.

"I don't know..." I muttered and sighed.

Truth was, I would be happy if he wasn't adopted to a terrible family. And.. well this kid is either going to also go under the Cruciatus Curse and beaten up or he's going to watch me go under the Cruciatus Curse and beaten. I didn't want that to happen... Also, now I couldn't leave.

"Enough about that. Izzy looks like she's going to be depressed-" Lily stated. I forced a smile and looked at her. "And besides, what did you think about the test?"

We had our first OWL exam, and it was pure torture. Even though it was Charms, one of my best subjects, it was still hard to even sit down and concentrate when someone was being very distracting.

"It was hard." Alice said. "And there was this one boy who kept flipping his hair out of his face-"

"And this other one who kept messing his hair because he thinks he's so good at everything!" Lily added.

"Education first Lily." I said teasingly and grinned.

"What?"

"I wonder who you're talking about..." I said, resting my chin in between my thumb and index finger. "Who always messes up his hair and thinks he's so good at everything...? I wonder."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Haha, very funny."

"And what was Lily Evans doing? Why was she looking at him when he was on the other side of the room?"

"Isabel-"

"Why was she looking in that direction? Was he her motivation to come up with an answer! Is she in-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence." Lily said warningly. I smiled innocently.

"Aww it's okay. I won't tell him. Now speaking of him, I need to work on my Potions revision..."

"Great. Let's go to the library then."

"Too much revision." Marlene groaned dramatically. "I'm going to die from studying too much."

"You can't die from studying too much." Alice stated.

"Yes you can! And I will!" We walked into the library and Marlene slumped into a chair.

I sat down on a chair and took out my Defence Against the Dark Arts revision and Potions revision. I looked at Marlene and said. "At least you don't have to get five OWLS. Then five NEWTS."

"True but still."

"You're being dramatic." Lily said to Marlene. Marlene's eyes lit up.

"You know who else is dramatic??"

I groaned and placed my head on the table. "That guy who thinks he's going to be Minister of Magic..."

"Wait... Was he serious about that?" Alice asked.

"Of course he's Sirius!" Marlene exclaimed. The two girls frowned. "Wait, wrong Sirius...."

I laughed slightly and started working on my Potions revision. I finished through a few questions before frowning. List the ingredients in the Polyjuice Potion. I thought for a minute. Lacewing flies, boomslang skin, hair of the person you want to change into... I tried to think of the other ones but my mind went blank. The worse thing is, we couldn't look in our books. Even if I did, Lily would pull me up about it. We had to act like it was an exam, which was very annoying.

"I need to ask Sev something." Lily said, standing up and grabbing her stuff. We looked at her.

"Why?" Marlene asked.

"Professor Slughorn said that if we need any Potions help, we should go ask our partners since we've been working working with them all year."

I scoffed and bit my lip, glancing at the unanswered question. "Like that's going to happen..." Lily walked off. I sighed and stared at the question for ages. Was Knotgrass one? Great... I didn't know the whole answer, though I didn't want to admit it. And who do I have to ask if I'm stuck on a question?

I'm never going to hear the end of this...

I sighed and stood up. I grabbed my stuff and walked out of the library. I sighed again and walked to the Black Lake.

Sure enough, the four boys were there. James was playing with a Snitch as Peter watched him in awe. And I'm pretty sure Remus had forced Sirius to test him by using flash cards. I walked over to them and they looked up.

"Hey Fall." Sirius said. "Have fun in OWLS?"

"Why would I have fun in OWLS?" I questioned.

"Well when I'm Minister of Magic-"

"What are you doing here?" Remus asked quickly, cutting Sirius off.

I sighed. "James... do you know what the ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion is?" James looked up and grinned. I bit my lip. "I have Lacewing flies, Boomslang Skin-"

"Hang on." James said, grinning widely. "Did I hear correctly? Isabel Fall... needs my help?"

I crossed my arms. I knew this was going to happen. "I don't need your help. I just... need a reminder of the ingredients-"

"So you need my help?" James laughed. "Wow! Isabel Fall needs my help! Guys are you hearing what I'm hearing? Izzy needs my help!!" I glared at him.

"Who are you and what have you done to Isabel Fall?" Peter asked. I rolled my eyes.

"It's okay Fall, you need my help. Just admit it."

"I don't need your help-" I stopped and my eyes landed on an insect which was resting on the tree. The spider was small, but scary. I gulped. "Just give me the bloody answer."

"Admit it. You need my help."

"Give me the answer James." I said, my eyes not leaving the spider.

"Fine-"

"Hurry up..."

"Are you okay?" He asked, looking at me weirdly. I nodded slowly.

"Just give me the answer. Quickly."

"Fine, why don't you just check in your book?"

"Because... apparently we're not allowed and if I did... Lily would pull me up about it."

"Huh, okay well I think it's Lacewing flies, Boomslang skin-"

"I got those ones already!"

"Well those are the only ones I know. Oh and hair of the person you want to turn into." I sighed with annoyance and bit my lip. The spider moved closer to the ground, near Peter's head.

"Really?! See I knew it would be useless to ask you-"

"Hey! Wait, you said you needed to ask me which means you needs my help-"

"Lacewing flies, shredded boomslang skin, leeches, powdered bicorn horn, knotgrass, fluxweed, and a bit of the person you want to turn into." Remus answered quickly. The other Marauders looked at him weirdly. I sighed with relief.

"How the bloody hell do you remember all-"

"Thank you! Goodbye!" I said and ran off quickly, making them frown.

"Why did she leave so quickly?" Peter asked.

"Because she didn't want to admit that she needed my-"

"Hey! Look at this cute spider on the tree." Sirius pointed to the small spider on the tree. They all glanced at each other and gasped in realisation.

"Oh..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I dragged myself out of the Great Hall and walked over to Alice. We had just finished our Defence Against The Dark Arts written exam and I felt like I could sleep right there.

"You okay?" Alice asked when I rested my head on her shoulder.

"No..." I mumbled. "I need sleep..."

"Did you stay up all night revising again?"

"No..." She looked at me and raised her eyebrows. "Maybe."

"Come on Izzy, even Lily doesn't study that hard."

"I know! Oh well... at least I had help with this exam."

"How did you get help? And can you get off me?" I groaned and lifted my head off her shoulder.

"Fine. And I got Remus to help me yesterday."

"Remus helped you?"

"Yeah, especially with-" I stopped for a moment then continued, "one of the topics we did... but I think I got the answer right."

"Cool. What question was it?"

"Question ten? I think."

"Isn't that the one with the werewolf?" I turned around and saw Lily and Marlene.

"Yeah..."

"Huh." Lily shrugged. "I wonder why Remus would know a lot-"

"Probably because he finds the subject interesting!" I said quickly. "Lily?"

"Yes?"

"I'm tired." Lily sighed.

"You're always tired."

"I'm not always tired. I'm just tired."

Marlene patted my back. "I know how you feel."

"See? I'm not the only one. Marlene understands my pain-"

Lily rolled her eyes. "You two need to go outside. Get some fresh air-"

"I don't need fresh air." I stated. "I need a bed."

"Come on." Lily grabbed Marlene's hand and Alice grabbed mine, then they both dragged us outside.

"This is why you don't announce Prank Wars in your fifth year." Alice said. I frowned.

"They were annoying." I said. "Then again, when are they ever not annoying."

"Exactly."

"Speaking of annoying." Lily furrowed her eyebrows near the lake and gasped. "Oh that's it!"

"What?" I looked towards the lake. Someone was lying on the floor, thrashing around. Three people stood below them, one was grinning and messing up his hair not moving his wand away. The other two were cheering him on. A crowd covered them, but we could easily see who they were.

To make it even worse, as the three Marauders were hexing and teasing Snape, Remus sat near the tree, reading a book like he had no idea what was going on.

Lily stormed over to them. We followed hastily. She pushed her way through the crowd then yelled. "Leave him ALONE!!!"

"All right there Evans?" James asked, his tone somehow became, deeper, more polite and mature.

"Leave him alone." She glared at him. "What's he done to you?"

"Well... it's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean."

Many people laughed, Sirius and Peter, probably the hardest. Though Remus or Lily didn't laugh. I stifled a laugh and so did Marlene and Alice.

"You think you're funny," Lily said coldly. "But you're just an arrogant, bullying toe-rag, Potter. Leave him alone!"

"I will if you go out with me, Evans." He said quickly. "Go on... go out with me and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again."

The jinx off Snape seemed to wear off and he began to inch forward to his fallen wand, spitting out soap.

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you or the Giant Squid!"

"Bad luck Prongs." Sirius stated, then he noticed Snape. "OI!

But suddenly, Snape directed his wand at James, there was a flash of light and a gash appeared on James's face, spattering his Robes with blood. My eyes widened and I grabbed my wand but James whirled around, then all of a sudden, Snape was hanging upside-down. His robes fell over his head to reveal a pair of grey underpants.

The crowd, including me laughed. Sirius, James and Peter roared with laughter. Lily's furious expression twitched like she was going to smile but then she said,

"Let him down!"

"Certainly." James jerked his wand upwards and Snape fell to the ground. He was about to get his wand when Sirius yelled,

"Petrificus Totalus!" Snape fell to the ground, as still as a wooden board.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!!" Lily had her wand out now, pointing it at James and Sirius who eyed it wearily.

"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you." James stated.

"Take the curse off him then!"

James sighed deeply then muttered the counter-curse. Snape struggled to his feet. The affect Lily can have on James though is ridiculous.

"There you go." James said. "You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus-"

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!"

Alice, Marlene and I gasped angrily, promptly taking out our wands and pointing it at Snape. Lily blinked and held her arm in front of us. I glared at Snape, even though I was mad at James as well.

"Fine," she said coolly. "I won't bother in future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus."

"Apologise to Evans!" James roared at Snape, pointing his wand at him.

"I don't want you to make him apologise!! You're as bad as he is!"

"What?! I'd NEVER called you a- you-know-what!"

"Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you've just got off your broomstick, showing off with the stupid Snitch, walking down the corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can - I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it! You make me SICK!"

Lily turned on her heel and ran off.

"Evans!" James shouted after her. "Hey, EVANS!" She didn't look back. "What is it with her?" I mentally facepalmed. Alice and Marlene ran after her but I stayed. I was too mad at James and Snape.

"Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you're bit conceited, mate." Sirius stated.

"Right, right-" James looked furious now. There was another flash of light and Snape once again was in the air. "Who wants me to see me take off Snivelly's pants?"

This time I pushed through the crowd and stormed over to him.

"Potter!" James sighed with annoyance and looked at me.

"Yes Fall? As you can see I'm kind of busy. You can ask me about Potions lat-"

"Put him down!" I shouted angrily, glaring up at him. James furrowed his eyebrows at me.

"Are you mad?! Didn't you hear what he called her-"

"I heard!! Now put him down!!"

"You want me to put him down-"

"Yes I want you to put him down!" He looked at me like I was insane. "I'm serious and - don't you dare!!" I added, pointing behind me at Sirius, who held his hands up in surrender. "I'm just as mad as you are so put him down!!"

"Fall-"

"Now!!" James sighed and Snape fell to the ground. Snape got up hastily.

"There you go. I don't-"

I turned on my heel and stormed over to Snape. My hand formed a fist and immediately I punched him in the face as hard as I could. He fell back down, holding onto his bleeding nose. Many people in the crowd gasped and cheered. I glared down at Snape furiously.

"Great." I spat. "Now I have grease on my hand."

I wiped my hand on the nearest thing, which happened to be someone's Robes. "Hey!" Sirius immediately grabbed the end of his Robes and moved away from me. "Watch where you're wiping that-" I shot him a glare and stormed off.

I ran to our dormitory where Alice and Marlene were comforting a quiet Lily, who just stared at the floor, deep in thought. I sat on the bed across from her.

"Hey..." I said softly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah... I'm fine." Lily mumbled and wiped her eyes. Marlene rubbed her back. " "Where'd you go?"

"I-I had to deal with some people." She nodded and sighed, seeming awfully quiet.

"Okay then..." Lily stood up and walked to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. I glanced at Marlene and Alice who both sighed deeply.