Lily stretched out and yawned as she turned another page of her potions book. It was the second week of summer and already she had completed her summer assignments and was spending her free time doing extra work, not that this was necessary as she was already further ahead of her classmates in all subjects. The potion she was reading about was a love potion and she smirked as she could imagine her friend Emily trying it to win her latest boy crush. Lily on the other hand was only interested in the intellectual purpose and made a few notes down the margins then closed the book for the evening. It was 8 o'clock on a Friday night and she was sat studying for extra credit. Lily sighed and wished she could be surprised but this was how she had become since the end of last Easter holiday. Her boyfriend has broken with her at the beginning of summer term and Lily had been heart broken, he was a Ravenclaw quidditch player and was referred to as "Mr Perfectly Boring" by Emily. Steven has been a prefect, quidditch captain and a great guy, so when he had turned around and said that he felt like they needed a break, which turned into a full on break up, Lily was shocked and heart broken. However she didn't wallow, she instead put all her effort into her studies and now was top of every class and had no time at all to think about him or his stupidly soft blonde hair.
Lily placed the book on the side table and looked in the mirror above her dresser and sighed. Her hair was pulled tightly back into a knot on her head and a quill stuck through the middle for safe keeping, her clothes were plain and she had no make up on and it made her think of all the reasons why Steven had decided to end it. She was just settling into a pit of self-wallowing when her door was burst open and with screams and black hair flying all over the place, Emily stormed in.
"Ha! Beat you to it Petty-wetty! You can't out run a witch even if she is in killer heels!" Emily said loudly while laughing to herself. Emily grabbed the door and went to shut it behind her when Petunia appeared out of breathe and furious.
"You freaks can't just burst into normal peoples houses and…." Before Petunia could finish the door was swiftly slammed in her face which a satisfying thump.
"God she was born with a broom stuck up her butt." Emily said plopping down on Lily's bed and spreading out like a cat. Her clothing being much like a cat she wore fitted leather trousers and a black top with the highest black boots to match. She looked like a cross between a witch and a black cat with a stripper edge. There couldn't have been a more different person to Lily, yet here she was in her best friends room still quietly chuckling to herself about annoying Lily's muggle older sister. Petunia's view on the magical world were the same as her views on homeless people that slept in subways, they were inconsiderate and should do a better job do be kept unseen. Needless to say Emily took great pleasure in trying to change her views.
Throughout this little altercation Lily had not really moved but just watched her friend move into her room with easy grace that Lily always envied. She was uptight and liked to keep order and Emily was like a rogue weather condition, ready to tornado through your life. Which is how they became friends in the first place really.
Lily had been sat on the train to Hogwarts in her third year, playing magicals cards with her old friend Severus. They had been arguing about some of the boys that Severus had begun hanging around with due to being in Slytherin while Lily had been sorted into Gryffindor.
"Sev I heard Rookwood hung that first year up for half an hour just because he bumped into him in the corridor! And Bella almost pushed me down the staircase last term for no reason at all! I just don't understand why you would want to hang around with them!" Lily said for the tenth time while they had been travelling. Severus sighed and opened his mouth to respond when the door of the carriage swung open.
"Well, well, well who knew little Snape had a little muggle girlfriend. Why don't you let us meet your little friend Sev."? A tall, blonde haired boy called Lucius Malfoy smirked as he leant against the door frame with his hench men from Slytherin behind him.
"Leave it Lucius. We were just leaving." Severus said pulling Lily to standing and leading her to the door. Lily frowned about to say something then thought better of it.
"Don't let us spoil your party. Why don't you let us meet your friend Sev, what's your name, I'm sure a girl with hair as red as yours has some fire in her…" He sneered and reached out and touched her hair. She swiped his hand away and his faced turned into a more viscious sneer.
"Oh so you picked a prude Sev, well I can help you with that," Lucius grabbed a handful more of Lily's hair and Severus went to push Lucius off her but before he'd even the chance one of the boys behind Lucius had frozen Severus. Lily was shaking with fear and trying to get out of his grip.
"Don't be afraid my little mudblood. I'm only having a bit of fun. Girls would kill to be touched by someone with bloody as pure as mine." Lily didn't say anything but instead tried to slowly inch her hand to her pocket when her wand was. Before she could reach it there was a blinding light and a scream of pain… from a male voice.
The blinding light cleared and Lucius was bent over covering his hand, which seemed to have been burnt by whatever the light source had been. He looked around and couldn't see the culprit so he glared shouted at his hench men that the "little slut" wasn't worth it and to leave it. Lily let out a huge breathe of air she hadn't realised she was holding and looked around still nervous as to who had helped her. Before she knew it a girl with long black hair appeared smiling.
"Are you okay? I over heard from next door and thought you might need a hand. Here," she waved her wand and Severus became unfrozen. He stood up and looked at Lily embarrassed.
"Lily, I'm sorry… I…" He faded off and looked out the window.
"Great friends you have Severus. I can see why you always defend them to me," Lily said quietly. Severus looked pained and was about to say something when he looked at the girl who had saved them and sighed. He then without a word just walked out of the compartment. Lily didn't know then but that was the end of their friendship.
At the time though Lily had just turned to this girl who was folding a piece of beautiful shiny material.
"Is that an invisibility cloak?" Lily asked raising an eyebrow as she had read they were virtually extinct.
"Yeah, I borrowed it from a friend as I didn't think charging in would solve your problems. I'm Emily by the way, Emily Potter." Lily had smiled at her and they both sat and from then their friendship had blossomed into an unconventional pairing.
Lily looked on her friend this evening and raised an eyebrow at her and didn't say anything. Lily was not the chatty one of the friendship and could often say things without even opening her mouth.
"I know what you're thinking," Emily said without even looking at Lily. "You're wondering why I am here and why I am antagonising the beast when I promise the only enter your house the muggle way because your sister in a magic hater. Well Lily Evans, I have a great reason and I know you are just going to love it!" At the last comment Emily lifted her head and looked at Lily with an evil glint that made Lily nervous as she knew this only meant trouble. Emily rose off the bed and innocently strolled across Lily's room, she opened Lily's closet door and was casually flicking through her wardrobe of clothes.
"So I was at home, doing my hair, when I thought to myself I need some excitement in my life. I haven't had a party yet this summer and the weather is great, I'm 17, I should be partying! Then I thought to myself, who else needs to relax, take the edge off and take a chill pill. And then I thought of you! So basically, in a nutshell: I am here to bring you excitement Lily Evans." Emily finished with a flourish and pulled out a few tops from Lily's wardrobe and threw them on her bed.
"Emily what are you talking about. I have plenty of excitement. Don't drag me into one of your little plans. I don't want to end up naked in someone's pool house with no memories and a sombrero." Lily said nervously looking at her friend as she dotted about her room.
"Lily, lily, lily, you need to chill out. I'm not suggesting we go to Mexico and drink tequila till we black out. I just want you to come to this little party, school people so you'll know people, you don't have to drink if you don't want to… what do you say?" Emily said giving her best baby kitten eyes to try and persuade Lily.
"You're going to have to do better than that Potter. Now go away I'm studying." Lily said rolling onto her bed and picking her potions book back up.
"God," Emily said quietly but loudly enough so Lily could hear, "Steven really did a number on you didn't he. You used to be at least a little fun." Lily's eyes darted to Emily and she glared at her best friend. She knew she was trying to use reverse psychology but she also knew that the comment had really hit a nerve.
"You know what Em, fine. I'll go. But I'm only doing this to shut you up. Where is it? Lets go." Lily said getting up and throwing her book down. Emily jumped up with glee and clapped her hands together.
"Great news Lils. But if you think I'm letting you go wearing that you have to be kidding me." Lily groaned at her friends comment and put her hand on her head as she knew what was coming.
"So I've pulled a couple options for you. But what I want to know if where is that box of clothes I lent you last Christmas. I told you, you need to jazz up your wardrobe a bit and I've never seen you wear any of it!" Emily said looking around. Lily looked sheepish and walked over to her wardrobe and pulled out a large shopping bag bundled up on the floor.
"Well, well. At least you didn't throw it away," Emily said snatching it off Lily and opening it out on the bed. Out poured sexy and revealing clothes that Lily would never ever in a million years buy.
Emily sifted through talking to herself about something she knew she had put in here. She then cried out "Got it!" and pulled out a little black dress. It was strapless and had a fitted bodice that went out into a short full skirt that was covered in delicate beading.
"No way." Lily said before Emily could even speak.
"You can either skip the nagging, moaning and eventual giving in and put it on now or you can endure my incessant chatter until you eventually just put it on anyway. Which will it be?" Emily said holding the dress out. Lily paused then realised she didn't have the energy and just pulled off her shirt and trousers and pulled the dress on over her head. She closed her eyes and pulled it down until it rested on her properly. Then Emily closed the zip and stood back to take in her work.
"Perfect. But we need to pick out better accessories and better underwear and sort your hair and make up." She said as she circled and eyed Lily critically like a artist reviewing a painting. Lily just let her friend take control as she pulled and prodded her with make up brushes and hair products. She almost drew the line at the black slinky underwear, which Emily chose but she knew it was the only thing that would go with the dress. She only owned it due to Emily forcing her to in a moment of madness. Emily's final touch was to straighten out Lily's long silky hair and slick on a fire red lipstick. Lily threw on some heeled ankle boots and looked at herself in the mirror. Her clothes looked like something Emily would wear, but the girls in them didn't look confident or assured like Emily always did. So Lily pointed her chin up and stared at her reflection. She wasn't going to sit at home and feel sorry for herself, she was going to channel Emily and be a wild girl for a night.
She looked at Emily who looked extremely pleased with herself, then she smiled and pushed her friend out the door. As they walked down stairs Lily walked past her sister's room who gaped at Lily's transformation. "Slut" was the only comment she had to throw at her sister though. Lily walked down the stairs and called out to her Dad. Her Mum was no longer alive having died when Lily was five.
"Dad I'm going out. Might stay at Ems so don't wait up okay?" Lily called out knowing her Dad was probably too engrossed in his work in his study.
"Fine honey. Be good." Her Dad called, although he sounded distracted. Lily and Emily walked out the door and just at Lily was about to leave her gate Emily stopped her.
"No more public transport for you my muggle friend. I passed my test remember." Emily said pulling her wand out. Lily looked at Emily.
"Are you sure you're ready to do a side along apparition Em? I'm quite attached to having all my limbs." Lily said to her friend who was known for blowing the occasional thing up in charms.
"You worry too much." Emily said as she grabbed her friend and swished her wand. Lily squeezed her eyes shut and counted to ten and prayed for her life. When she opened her eyes she looked around and tilted her head confused.
"Em, this is your house." Lily said looked up the front lawn of Emily's parents beautiful family estate.
"Really? I hadn't noticed…" Emily said sarcastically. "Did I not mention the parties at my house?" Then she took off across the lawn towards her front door. Lily looked bemused.
"A marauder's party? Really Em?! You could have at least warned me. You know I can't handle your brother and his friends." Lily called after her. Emily turned and laughed.
"Oh relax. My parents are away and the boys are throwing a little get together. How out of hand could it get?" Emily said innocently and Lily started walking up the hill sighing to herself and promising she'll never listen to her friend ever again. They reach the front door and Emily looks at Lily.
"Ready?" Emily says, then reaches for the old door handle and creaking open their great door.