Marauders AU Romance

Chapter Three: Carriage Ride

September 1, 1976

The rest of the train ride was quite uneventful, nearer the end, they took turns changing in the car. Boys first, then girls.

Lilly flicked her hair out of the collar of her shirt as she turned to see Kara doing up the last of her buttons before picking up her grey knitted vest to pull overtop. She elected for a grey skirt over sheer black stockings and stepped back into her little black flats.

Lilly picked up her red and gold tie, slipping it under her collar and starting to fold it over and under itself as she looked up at Kara, seeing her looking out the window distractedly.

"Are you nervous to be sorted?" She asked and Kara turned to her with wide eyes, blinking quickly and considering.

"I wasn't, but..." she trailed off, folding her arms around herself.

"But now that you've met some of the other houses, you are?" Lilly guessed at the end of her thought and Kara forced a smile as she nodded, "Not all of Slytherin is like those lot." She encouraged, "Plus there are still two other houses that are full of great kids. The odds are in your favour."

"It's not just that I don't want to be Slytherin." She shrugged, stopping herself again as she looked passed her at the door where the blinds had been drawn for the girls to change.

"You want to be Gryffindor?" Lilly wondered hopefully and Kara nodded again. Lilly's smile widened, "Well good. I'd like that too. I mean, I wish I could take all the credit for swaying you to our side, but," she saw a blush creep into Kara's cheeks, "I think that honour belongs to a certain Gryffindor who seems equally taken with you." She wiggled her brows and Kara hid behind her hands.

Lilly pulled her into a side hug, "Don't worry, I won't say a word to him, but I think you really should. The two of you would be great together." She suggested.

Kara dropped her hands, looking sceptically over at Lilly, "You've known me all of three hours, yet you can say that for certain?"

"Yep." Lilly nodded, "I'm an excellent judge of character." She declared and unlocked the door then pushed up the blinds.

"Finally." Sirius declared, pushing aside the door and slumping down in his place, "How can girls take twice as long to put on the same amount of clothing?" He asked and Lilly rolled her eyes.

"It's a marvel that you've never landed a girlfriend Sirius." She rolled her eyes and heard the boys "oooh" as they all settled into their seats again.

"I've never had a girlfriend because I can't be tied down." He declared boldly with a smirk.

Kara watched Remus roll his eyes as he shook his head and she had to suppress a laugh.

"Or, is it because you're good for a snog, but too immature for anything real?" She fired back and Sirius crossed his arms as he slumped a little lower and mumbled back some insults he wasn't brave enough to say to her.

"Go easy in him Evans, or we'll have to deal with brooding Sirius the whole first week back." James pleaded with her.

"It's a choice to behave the way that the two of you do. If it's insulting to have it pointed out, then maybe that says something about how you want to be perceived now that you're older." She shrugged.

Kara's eyes widened as she looked out the window awkwardly.

"If you're hoping to set in motion some sort of existential crisis, then you're barking up the wrong trees." Remus said quietly, "These two have no concept of philosophy."

James sent a sharp elbow to his ribs.

"What?" Remus raised his hands in defence, "Since when have you cared about stuff like that?" He argued.