A/N -

Disclaimer: I own nothing, unfortunately.


To Gild a Lily: Chapter One

"Gin!" Lily exclaimed smiling, placing her hand of cards face up on the patio table. Lily's sister, Petunia, gave the unpleasant look that she was famed for and placed her hand face down in front of her while watching her smug sister collect her most recent paycheck. Lily grinned as she collected her earnings, emerald green eyes glinting in the glow of the midmorning sun. It was half past eleven at Four Privet Drive, and the sun had just begun to peak in the high point of the sky casting a warm glimmer on the perfect lawns of the neighbors. The grass was as green as Lily's eyes, and the water from the sprinkler next door was as blue as Petunia's glaring ones, which at the moment were pointed maliciously at her younger sister. That was the third time in a row Lily had won, and Petunia was out two paychecks.

"How's the game going, girls?" Julia Evans, mother to the sisters had just emerged from the porch double doors, bearing a tray with two glasses of iced lemonade on it.

"Positively spiffing, Mum!" Lily replied enthusiastically, a broad grin plastered on her fair face. Mrs. Evans glanced hopefully at Petunia, who was not quite as exuberant as Mrs. Evans had hoped. Seeing how putout her mother looked, Lily sighed inwardly. She knew this would never have worked. At the beginning of summer holidays, Mrs. Evans had decided that Lily and Petunia needed to spend more quality time together, and issued a new rule stating that the sisters must spend at least an hour a week together. Petunia had immediately figured out that because they couldn't bear to be around each other for more that ten minutes at a time, about eight and a half minutes a day would be enough. Unfortunately it was Saturday and-

"Mum, it's been forty-five minutes," Petunia said wrathfully, "Can we PLEASE get on with our lives now?" Mrs. Evans gave Petunia a stern look and opened her mouth to speak, but Lily was quicker.

"Well if you hadn't been out all week with Verny-poo then we wouldn't even be here right now!" Petunia reddened, but held her ground.

"Just because I have more of a social life than you'll ever-"

"Ha!" Lily said audibly, interrupting, "Somehow I think that your raging party life could have spared eight and a half flipping minutes a day!"

"Like you have anything to compare it to! You're pathetic, the way you sit at home every day of the holiday, reading some stupid book or writing that ridiculous poetry! It's disgusting!" Petunia spat, her voice thick with the utmost expression of loathing.

"Now girls," Mrs. Evans began, but was interrupted.

"Oh, of course! I'd much rather be snogging the brains out of some overweight loser! That's MY idea of a night on the town!" At this, Petunia's face became contorted with rage, and her complexion became cherry red right up to the roots of her pale blonde hair.

"You," Petunia began, "are an insolent, brainless, disrespectful, annoying, ugly twat of a sister!"

"PETUNIA!" Mrs. Evans barely ever raised her voice, resulting in both of the girls expressing looks of disbelief upon their angry faces, "I DEMAND that you apologize to your sister! Immediately!" Petunia scowled, glaring menacingly at both her mother and sister. Without a word, Petunia scattered the deck of cards and stormed into the house, presumably to her room, and slammed the porch doors behind her. Lily sighed again, looking at her mother's bewildered expression.

"She just doesn't get it," Lily thought grimly, beginning to gather the cards from the ground and the table. Mrs. Evans, after slightly recovering from the shock, bent down to help Lily collect the scattered deck.

"I just don't understand what's gotten into that girl," she began, as Lily began to become lost in her own thoughts, "I mean, we do everything we can to-" But Lily's thoughts were elsewhere. Lily knew exactly what was wrong with Petunia. Ever since she had begun to date this "Vernon" character, Petunia had been acting very strangely indeed. Lily knew for a fact that Petunia and Vernon, along with Vernon's friends from his school Smeltings, spent their holiday evenings smoking on street corners torturing the neighborhood children. Lily didn't think that Petunia would seem very comfortable with what Vernon was doing, but Petunia's personality made it difficult for her to make friends with normal fourteen-year olds.

"Ow!" Lily was brought back to reality by her mother's cry, "What in the world.." A large envelope had just collided with Mrs. Evans's head, causing her to drop all of the cards that she was holding. Instinctively, Lily's head shot up looking for whatever, or wherever, the envelope had been dropped from. Sure enough, gliding just out sight, was a tawny owl stretching its broad wings across the sun kissed horizon.

"Lily, darling," Lily's focus was brought back to her mother, whom was holding the thick envelope in slightly shaking hands, "It's addressed to you."

Lily blinked.

"What?"

"That's what it says, dear," Lily's mother's voice was trembling a little, creating a tense feeling in Lily's lungs, "Miss L. Evans." Mrs. Evans handed the envelope to Lily, wide-eyed. Lily gaped open-mouthed at the letter; it could be no mistake.

Miss L. Evans

The Patio on the Deck

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging

Surrey

Lily blinked again, wondering what in the world could possibly be going on. The envelope was made of a yellowish parchment; it was very heavy for a letter, at least. It was addressed in emerald green ink that reflected in Lily's bright, almond shaped eyes. Hands shaking nervously, Lily carefully undid the sealed envelope and pulled out the letter and read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)

Dear Miss Evans

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School ofWitchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins September 1. We await your owl no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Lily's mind went blank; there was nothing that she could possibly say to her mother that would explain what the letter indicated. Unknowingly, Lily's jaw was dropped, and she handed the heavy parchment to her mother who was waiting with baited breath. Lily's mind was suddenly racing with questions to which she had no answer. Mrs. Evans seemed to be thinking along the same lines. There was a sudden popping noise from behind the neighbor's hedge, causing both mother and daughter to jump and come back from their thoughts.

"But," Lily spoke, voice trembling, "What does it mean, 'We await your owl no later than July 31'" Someone replied, but it was not the voice of Lily's mother.

"That would be where I come in."


A/N- Please review if you think I should keep going! (I will anyway.. for now.. hehe) Also, please review with any suggestions! I'd really appreciate anything that anyone would have to say for me to improve upon! Thanks!