~*~*~*~
The year was 1974. It was the summer of love, as muggles remember it. For Lily Evans it was a summer marked by two horrible things. One being her sister's marriage to a despicable man, Vernon Dursley, whom firmly disapproved of anything out of the norm. The second horrible thing was actually a series of awful attacks made on a sizable amount of the wizarding community, by a man who fancied himself "Lord Voldemort". Needless to say, everything was not all sunshine and rainbows for Lily, as she most sincerely looked forward to returning to school. The summer had been crawling by at an abominably slow rate. She had already received her Hogwarts letter, and had gotten all of her school things. Her mother had even bought her an owl for making Head Girl. Lily had spent many hours in her room with the window thrown wide open, watching the Brady Bunch half- heartedly, and waiting for her friends to write her from where they had all gone vacationing.
But finally, September first came around, and Lily found herself once again staring at the impossibly solid looking barrier between platform 9 and 10.
'This is the last time I'll be walking through this barrier as a student,' she thought sadly. Hogwarts had always been like a second home to her, since her sister had always done her best to make Lily feel unwelcome in their parents house, ever since she got her first letter. She swept her long auburn hair out of her face and pushed her trolly, holding her trunk, and Audrey, which is what she had recently christened the sleek, dark owl. She started walking slowly towards the barrier, waving goodbye one last time to her parents.
~*~*~*~
Lily sat in the Head car, waiting for Head Boy to show up. She knew who it was, of course. Her friend Alice's mother had some connections at Hogwarts, and she had informed Lily that her partner in authority was none other than James Potter. This had not surprised Lily in the least. Though Potter had an awful habit of getting himself into the worst kind of mischief, he was brilliant in all of his classes, and had Dumbledore in his back pocket.
The frosty glass door slid open, and in sauntered James, looking quite pleased with himself over something or other. He caught sight of Lily and the self indulgent grin on his face widened.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked, trying to kiss her hand, which he had gotten ahold of somehow. Lily quickly snatched it back.
" Cut the crap, Potter." She rolled her eyes. James was always going out of his way to try and woo her. It had gotten quite ridiculous over the past couple years. He was good looking enough, and Lily might have even considered taking him up on his offers to take her out, if only he wasn't so egotistical. The guy was always messing up his hair, because he thought it made him look dashing, and whenever he asked her out, it was always in the most annoying ways. He would ask her in his "I'm James Potter, I'm irresistible, You can't say no to me" voice, which always drove Lily mad, because she hated being patronized like that, even if he didn't realize his arrogance.
"What?" He asked, ruffling his hair, yet again. "So Lily, me and you, Head Boy and Girl, who woulda thunk it?"
"It's 'you and I' not 'Me and You', and now that you bring it up, I don't know who in their right mind schemed this up, but they must have been completely daft."
"Oh come on, you know you secretly have a thing for me..don't you?" He inquired, with innocent eyes. She burst out laughing. She had to admit, he wasn't all bad, sometimes she even thought he was kind of charming, but then--
"Of course you do, Lily my dear, and I'll tell you why." He answered his own question after she remained silently laughing. "You can't resist a man in uniform," He smiled winningly at her, and she snorted.
"Uniform? What uniform?" She shot back, giggling. "The school uniform doesn't count Potter, and if I couldn't resist a man in uniform I would have had my way with half of the school by now, wouldn't I?"
"Come on, when are you going to put me out of my misery and give me a date, gorgeous?"
"When you stop calling me that, and learn my name."
"Lily, Lily Lily Lily Lily Lily," he chanted at her. "See? I know your name. Now will you go out with me?"
"No." 'Really, he is so incorrigible. *maybe you should say yes* What? No, of course not, that wouldn't' do at all. *look at those gorgeous hazel eyes* I am NOT thinking about Potter's eyes! What is Wrong with me?? Where are all of the other prefects? Oh yeah, we have to organize the meeting in the car first. Stupid James, distracting me from--'
"But you just said if I learned your name you would," he interrupted, pouting. ' *It's not natural for a grown boy to look so sexy pouting* I DID NOT just think of James as sexy! I did NOT just call him James! Uggh!!'
"We're supposed to be planning the prefects meeting, remember?" And so they did, and the rest of the trip passed much as the first ten minutes had. He kept flirting with her, or trying to at least, and she kept putting him in his place.
~*~*~*~
In McGonagall's Office
"Now, you two will be responsible for a great deal in running this school. You are in charge of all of the Prefect's meetings, unless otherwise informed. You will help in planning feasts, as well as decorations. If you would care organize one, you could have a Ball, though most Head's don't to take on the challenge. You will also supervise the prefects doing rounds. Do you have any questions?"
"Yes," replied James, surprising Lily. "What would you say, if I suggested we put on a play at Hogwarts?" Lily frowned. 'A play? Why does Potter want to put on a play?'
"Well Mr. Potter, I'd say if you'd like to organize it then I see no problem with it. Though I'd need to approve the play, and we'd have to discuss where it will be held, and so forth. Did you have anything in mind?"
He looked at Lily with a hungry expression. "Sleeping Beauty, maybe? Or Beauty and the Beast..Or Snow White," he said, his eyes traveling down her neck and drinking in her creamy white complexion. 'Ok, now I understand. He's using this as another flimsy scheme to ask me out, or spend time with me, or flatter me or something.'
"Yes, Snow White sounds good," He finished. 'Oh brother.'
"Well Mr. Potter, you organize it, and inform me of the schedule, when you play to hold auditions and so forth. I see no problem with it. But don't let this conflict with your quidditch practice, I've gotten quite accustom to having the cup in my office, and I'd hate to see it go."
"No problem, Professor," Her mouth twitched, and Lily could almost guarantee the she had been holding back a smile. 'It's disgusting how he's got the professors wrapped around his little finger. '
"Well, you two should be getting to bed. Start of term tomorrow. Good evening."
After they had left her office Lily rounded on James. "What in the name of *Merlin* was that all about? A *play* Potter? Just what are you up to with this?" He came to a halt and ran his eyes over her face, presumably taking in her lovely rosy cheeks, her sparkling green eyes, that were now glinting with suspicion, and her pouty red lips.
"Well, I've taken an interest in theatre of late, if you're dying to know. My mum took me to see some musicals over summer, and it looked like fun. Not the music part, of course, I can't carry a tune in a bucket, but the acting bit." He was absently twirling his fingers in her hair, and she chose that moment to notice.
Slapping his hands away, she said "You mean the attention bit," though her insult seemed to lack it's usual bite. So Potter has a sensitive side, huh? They continued walking.
He laughed his easy, relaxed laugh, *that's oddly endearing* she thought, though she didn't care to admit that she found any part of James Potter, endearing. They reached the portrait hole, and he stopped. He turned to her, his hazel eyes twinkling.
"So, about the play, well, I think I want to put on Snow White. You know that story, right? But there's a problem with that."
"Yeah, I know the story. What's the problem?" She asked, genuinely curious.
"Well, you see, Snow White is the 'fairest of them all', and I'm afraid it will be entirely impossible to let anybody but you play the part." He said, totally sincere. He brought his hand up to her face, he couldn't help himself, and gently caressed her cheek, which proved to be as soft as it looked.
Lily swallowed hard. 'What is WRONG with me? He's just playing his usual game' "And why is that?" He was quite surprised that she hadn't jumped away at his touch. He frowned slightly, causing a cute crease between his eyebrows.
"Because you are the fairest of them all, Lily." He said this simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Right, um.." She tried to come up with some witty, biting comment, but found her mind to be quite blank. *that was the sweetest thing anybody has ever said to you, Lil, say something NICE for once!* "Thanks, I guess, " she replied, awkwardly. "I suppose we should be getting inside. Faery Dust." she mumble the password, and the portrait swung open. This was going to be an interesting year.
~*~*~*~
The year was 1974. It was the summer of love, as muggles remember it. For Lily Evans it was a summer marked by two horrible things. One being her sister's marriage to a despicable man, Vernon Dursley, whom firmly disapproved of anything out of the norm. The second horrible thing was actually a series of awful attacks made on a sizable amount of the wizarding community, by a man who fancied himself "Lord Voldemort". Needless to say, everything was not all sunshine and rainbows for Lily, as she most sincerely looked forward to returning to school. The summer had been crawling by at an abominably slow rate. She had already received her Hogwarts letter, and had gotten all of her school things. Her mother had even bought her an owl for making Head Girl. Lily had spent many hours in her room with the window thrown wide open, watching the Brady Bunch half- heartedly, and waiting for her friends to write her from where they had all gone vacationing.
But finally, September first came around, and Lily found herself once again staring at the impossibly solid looking barrier between platform 9 and 10.
'This is the last time I'll be walking through this barrier as a student,' she thought sadly. Hogwarts had always been like a second home to her, since her sister had always done her best to make Lily feel unwelcome in their parents house, ever since she got her first letter. She swept her long auburn hair out of her face and pushed her trolly, holding her trunk, and Audrey, which is what she had recently christened the sleek, dark owl. She started walking slowly towards the barrier, waving goodbye one last time to her parents.
~*~*~*~
Lily sat in the Head car, waiting for Head Boy to show up. She knew who it was, of course. Her friend Alice's mother had some connections at Hogwarts, and she had informed Lily that her partner in authority was none other than James Potter. This had not surprised Lily in the least. Though Potter had an awful habit of getting himself into the worst kind of mischief, he was brilliant in all of his classes, and had Dumbledore in his back pocket.
The frosty glass door slid open, and in sauntered James, looking quite pleased with himself over something or other. He caught sight of Lily and the self indulgent grin on his face widened.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked, trying to kiss her hand, which he had gotten ahold of somehow. Lily quickly snatched it back.
" Cut the crap, Potter." She rolled her eyes. James was always going out of his way to try and woo her. It had gotten quite ridiculous over the past couple years. He was good looking enough, and Lily might have even considered taking him up on his offers to take her out, if only he wasn't so egotistical. The guy was always messing up his hair, because he thought it made him look dashing, and whenever he asked her out, it was always in the most annoying ways. He would ask her in his "I'm James Potter, I'm irresistible, You can't say no to me" voice, which always drove Lily mad, because she hated being patronized like that, even if he didn't realize his arrogance.
"What?" He asked, ruffling his hair, yet again. "So Lily, me and you, Head Boy and Girl, who woulda thunk it?"
"It's 'you and I' not 'Me and You', and now that you bring it up, I don't know who in their right mind schemed this up, but they must have been completely daft."
"Oh come on, you know you secretly have a thing for me..don't you?" He inquired, with innocent eyes. She burst out laughing. She had to admit, he wasn't all bad, sometimes she even thought he was kind of charming, but then--
"Of course you do, Lily my dear, and I'll tell you why." He answered his own question after she remained silently laughing. "You can't resist a man in uniform," He smiled winningly at her, and she snorted.
"Uniform? What uniform?" She shot back, giggling. "The school uniform doesn't count Potter, and if I couldn't resist a man in uniform I would have had my way with half of the school by now, wouldn't I?"
"Come on, when are you going to put me out of my misery and give me a date, gorgeous?"
"When you stop calling me that, and learn my name."
"Lily, Lily Lily Lily Lily Lily," he chanted at her. "See? I know your name. Now will you go out with me?"
"No." 'Really, he is so incorrigible. *maybe you should say yes* What? No, of course not, that wouldn't' do at all. *look at those gorgeous hazel eyes* I am NOT thinking about Potter's eyes! What is Wrong with me?? Where are all of the other prefects? Oh yeah, we have to organize the meeting in the car first. Stupid James, distracting me from--'
"But you just said if I learned your name you would," he interrupted, pouting. ' *It's not natural for a grown boy to look so sexy pouting* I DID NOT just think of James as sexy! I did NOT just call him James! Uggh!!'
"We're supposed to be planning the prefects meeting, remember?" And so they did, and the rest of the trip passed much as the first ten minutes had. He kept flirting with her, or trying to at least, and she kept putting him in his place.
~*~*~*~
In McGonagall's Office
"Now, you two will be responsible for a great deal in running this school. You are in charge of all of the Prefect's meetings, unless otherwise informed. You will help in planning feasts, as well as decorations. If you would care organize one, you could have a Ball, though most Head's don't to take on the challenge. You will also supervise the prefects doing rounds. Do you have any questions?"
"Yes," replied James, surprising Lily. "What would you say, if I suggested we put on a play at Hogwarts?" Lily frowned. 'A play? Why does Potter want to put on a play?'
"Well Mr. Potter, I'd say if you'd like to organize it then I see no problem with it. Though I'd need to approve the play, and we'd have to discuss where it will be held, and so forth. Did you have anything in mind?"
He looked at Lily with a hungry expression. "Sleeping Beauty, maybe? Or Beauty and the Beast..Or Snow White," he said, his eyes traveling down her neck and drinking in her creamy white complexion. 'Ok, now I understand. He's using this as another flimsy scheme to ask me out, or spend time with me, or flatter me or something.'
"Yes, Snow White sounds good," He finished. 'Oh brother.'
"Well Mr. Potter, you organize it, and inform me of the schedule, when you play to hold auditions and so forth. I see no problem with it. But don't let this conflict with your quidditch practice, I've gotten quite accustom to having the cup in my office, and I'd hate to see it go."
"No problem, Professor," Her mouth twitched, and Lily could almost guarantee the she had been holding back a smile. 'It's disgusting how he's got the professors wrapped around his little finger. '
"Well, you two should be getting to bed. Start of term tomorrow. Good evening."
After they had left her office Lily rounded on James. "What in the name of *Merlin* was that all about? A *play* Potter? Just what are you up to with this?" He came to a halt and ran his eyes over her face, presumably taking in her lovely rosy cheeks, her sparkling green eyes, that were now glinting with suspicion, and her pouty red lips.
"Well, I've taken an interest in theatre of late, if you're dying to know. My mum took me to see some musicals over summer, and it looked like fun. Not the music part, of course, I can't carry a tune in a bucket, but the acting bit." He was absently twirling his fingers in her hair, and she chose that moment to notice.
Slapping his hands away, she said "You mean the attention bit," though her insult seemed to lack it's usual bite. So Potter has a sensitive side, huh? They continued walking.
He laughed his easy, relaxed laugh, *that's oddly endearing* she thought, though she didn't care to admit that she found any part of James Potter, endearing. They reached the portrait hole, and he stopped. He turned to her, his hazel eyes twinkling.
"So, about the play, well, I think I want to put on Snow White. You know that story, right? But there's a problem with that."
"Yeah, I know the story. What's the problem?" She asked, genuinely curious.
"Well, you see, Snow White is the 'fairest of them all', and I'm afraid it will be entirely impossible to let anybody but you play the part." He said, totally sincere. He brought his hand up to her face, he couldn't help himself, and gently caressed her cheek, which proved to be as soft as it looked.
Lily swallowed hard. 'What is WRONG with me? He's just playing his usual game' "And why is that?" He was quite surprised that she hadn't jumped away at his touch. He frowned slightly, causing a cute crease between his eyebrows.
"Because you are the fairest of them all, Lily." He said this simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Right, um.." She tried to come up with some witty, biting comment, but found her mind to be quite blank. *that was the sweetest thing anybody has ever said to you, Lil, say something NICE for once!* "Thanks, I guess, " she replied, awkwardly. "I suppose we should be getting inside. Faery Dust." she mumble the password, and the portrait swung open. This was going to be an interesting year.
~*~*~*~
