Written for the What If Competition, where I was asked "What If Lily Evans wasn't the witch, but Petunia instead?"
Also written for the Marauder Era Oneshot Competition, where I was given the pairing, James and Lily.
Also written for The Treasure Hunt, where I was asked to "write about two people who only ever loved each other."
*This chapter was written as a one-shot in response to a challenge, but it has now been extended to a multi-chapter. However, as the below has not changed, this chapter can still be read as a one-shot.*
"But you're letting Vernon go!" Lily moaned, spitting the name of her sister's Muggle boyfriend with venom.
"Fine, Lily, you can come. But if you get in trouble because you aren't magic, it's not my fault!" Petunia argued, picking up her wand and placing it in her pocket.
"Thank you! You're the best sister!" Lily said as she jumped up to give Petunia a hug. Petunia just shrugged her off, annoyed at the younger girls enthusiasm.
Petunia didn't really want to be that girl that took her little sister with her, not at eighteen, but Lily's barely concealed jealousy at Petunia's life gave the older girl a power that she revelled in.
The party that night was going to be killer, she knew that one. She sat at her vanity table, a white oak specimen with an adjustable oval mirror and began to comb out her hair, smiling to herself. That day, she felt like she had everything.
Lily rushed straight to her room, flinging her wardrobe open to decide what to wear. She knee her sister didn't really want her there, but Lily promised herself she wouldn't hang around at Petunia's ankles all night. She was finally getting a real chance to live in Petunia's world, in magic and mystery, even if only for one night. Her O-Level English revision long forgotten on her bed, she pondered over the decision to wear jeans or a dress.
At seven o'clock that night, Petunia, Lily and Vernon were in the Evans' living room, waiting for Petunia's best friend, Lizzie Stebbins to arrive. She was a witch like Petunia, and she had agreed to Apparate Lily there with them. Lily couldn't sit still in her excitement, fiddling with a stray thread on the hem of her denim skirt. Her hair was straight and long, as it often was, it's deep red catching the light. Petunia was wearing a floral dress, as she often did, just above knee length, both daring and proper. Vernon, on the other hand, wore a mundane grey suit and a blank expression, as if trying to mask his uncomfortableness at the whole situation. He still wasn't sure what to make of magic, and Lily wanted to tell him how wonderful and brilliant it was. She wasn't sure he would listen.
When Lizzie arrived, in the fireplace, as was often her style, she grinned at them all and shook the soot from her bright blonde hair. She was wearing an odd combination of a peach cardigan, a long flowing skirt and a bright red fitted shirt. The three pieces didn't exactly fit together as an outfit, but Lily thought it had character.
"Lizzie, finally!" Petunia jumped up to greet her friend, before turning to her sister.
"Lily, remember, you leave me alone, unless you're in trouble, okay?" she said.
"Yes, I know," Lily eagerly agreed. Anything to make sure she got there.
"Vernon, calm down, it's only a party," she cooed to her boyfriend as she placed a comforting hand on his. "You've been to parties before."
"Yes, of course," he said with a thin-lipped smile as he stood.
Lizzie began to head over to Lily with a smile. This was it, it was finally happening, Lily thought.
When Lily arrived at the party, it was like nothing she had ever seen. Candles were floating high above the party goers, lighting the scene, while party poppers and streamers were flying around in all directions, without anyone setting them off. The music she could hear over the din of chatter was unlike anything they parted on the radio, and the smell of sugar and food from the buffet table was irresistible. In all her sixteen years, she'd never seen anything so... magical.
Petunia and her friends had gathered around a table, and there was an unspoken understanding that she was not invited. But Lily didn't mind. As she glanced around the room, she saw red and gold everywhere, which she knew to be the colours of Gryffindor, Petunia's School House. She also saw that she was not the youngest person in the room and there were a few people her age. She watched as a boy with messy hair and glasses pointed his wand at a girl he seemed to know. She immediately sprouted horns, very similar to a goat's, and the boy and his friends laughed hysterically. Arrogant toerag, Lily thought.
James Potter and his friends knew there was nowhere in the world they wanted to be more than this party. No teachers, no curfews, no rules. The punch had been spiked so many times it was more alcohol than fruit juice, and the girls were dressed up in their finest.
"She's an eight," Sirius stated, pointing at a girl by the bar.
"Agreed. She's a seven," James replied as a brunette walked past them. Unfortunately, the girl seemed to hear.
"Excuse me," she said, accusingly.
"What?" Sirius asked, assuming an air of ignorance.
"A seven? You vile little boys," she spat.
"We can change it if you want," James replied with a small smile.
The girl began to scoff and walk away, but before she could, James pointed his wand at her and fashioned a pair of horns on her head.
"You're a four now," Sirius commented, and the pair broke into a laugh, along with a few others nearby.
And that was when James saw her. Auburn hair shining in the candlelight, looking right at him with an air of derision. She was definitely a ten. Forget Jerry Hall, forget Rene Russo, forget all the muggle women Sirius had introduced him to through magazines and photographs. She was perfect, and she was real, and she was right in front of him.
"Prongs, you alright?" Sirius asked, but James didn't hear him, because the girl in the purple top and skirt had just begun to walk away, and he knew he had to talk to her. He was on her tail, following her flaming locks through the throngs of people as she made her way over to the drinks table.
"Hi, I'm James Potter," he introduced himself as soon as he caught up with her, with what he assumed would be a winning smile.
"Hi," Lily said, unsure why the self-assured boy she'd just watched prank someone was suddenly beside her as she poured herself a drink.
"Sorry, I just saw you across the room and thought I'd come and talk to you," he smiled. "I don't think I've seen you before?"
"No, I doubt it," was all Lily said, glancing at him briefly. He was cute, she had to admit that.
"You don't go to Hogwarts?" he asked, confused. This was a Gryffindor party, after all.
"No, my sister does," she replied. She probably shouldn't tell him she wasn't magic.
"Who's your sister?" he asked. He was desperate to know who this girl was, he just didn't want to seem too enthusiastic.
Lily just smiled a little. She wasn't going to tell him that. She didn't know what Petunia might have said about her. But as a certain brunette fell into Lily's line of vision, heading straight towards her, she realised she wouldn't have to say anything.
"Is everything okay, Lily?" Petunia asked as she reached the pair, concern for her younger sister clear in her eyes.
Lily. The girl with the emerald eyes and flaming hair was called Lily. "Everything's fine, Pet," James teased the older girl, as only him and his friends were brave enough to do.
"I wasn't talking to you, Potter," she snapped back.
"Everything's fine, Tuney, we were done," Lily smiled, using the nickname she knew her sister hated. She began to head away, her sister close on her heels.
"Honestly, Lily, I leave you alone for five minutes, and you end up talking to that prat?" Petunia admonished.
"He came over and started talking to me!" Lily defended herself. "Who is he, anyway?" she asked as they reached Petunia's friends.
"James Potter. Him and his friends call themselves the Marauders. They've got the younger girls fawning over them left, right and centre, but they're just arrogant little kids with nothing better to do than mess with others," Petunia explained.
"They're also some of the most popular kids in school," Lizzie added from her seat at the table, next to a boy in the tallest pointy hat Lily had ever seen.
"Lizzie has a soft spot for his friend, Sirius," Petunia added, shaking her head in disapproval.
"Well, thanks for dragging me away," Lily said.
"You should go check out the fortune teller, she's scarily accurate," Lizzie suggested, and Lily thought that sounded like as good an idea as any.
As Lily entered the little tent, the noise and commotion of the party disappeared, and Lily wondered if it was some kind of spell. The woman sat at the other side of the table was younger than Lily had expected, in deep purple and green robes. She was pouring out a cup of tea.
"Drink, please," the woman said with a smile. Lily did as she was bid, intensely uncomfortable with the situation. Why did she have to have a cup of tea? She didn't even particularly like tea.
They sat in silence while Lily drank, the woman watching her with kind eyes. When the tea was finished, the woman turned the cup upside down on the saucer and waited. When she turned the cup back around, Lily could see the tea leaves settled in the bottom of the cup for a moment before the woman pulled it up to peer inside. She was reading tea leaves?
"There is an Abbey, right in the centre. That means happiness will surely come your way, but the lines… the lines say this is unexpected. Perhaps in the last place you would think to look. There is an egg, too. This is hopeful, very positive. The egg means new beginnings. I would surmise that something is about to happen that will lead to you moving home, and that you will be happy there," the Seer finished, and Lily was certain the woman was way off base. Lily's life didn't change. It never had. They'd lived in the same house all her life.
"I'm not so sure," Lily commented.
"Oh, but my child, it is known!" the woman replied, to which Lily smiled and thanked her, before leaving the tent.
Still thinking about the mad woman's words, Lily nearly walked right into someone, and when she looked up to say sorry, she recognised the boy from earlier, and his same smile. James.
"Did she tell you that would happen?" James asked, motioning towards the little tent.
"She promised me you would leave me alone, actually," Lily countered, proud of her own quick wit.
"Well, she's obviously a fraud," James grinned.
"Aren't they all?" Lily asked.
"That depends if you take them seriously or not," James replied, and Lily couldn't help but smile a little. She had always thought the same. If someone believed in a fortune teller's words, then that fortune was likely to happen, was it not? The person would make it happen, whether they knew it or not.
"She does smile," James commented.
"Sometimes," Lily replied with a shrug. It was half past ten, and people were beginning to leave. Lily knew she, too, should be searching for her sister and preparing to go home. Something kept her here, talking to the arrogant, messy-haired boy with the big smile and an apparent fascination with her.
"Lily, I have to go now, and I know we haven't talked much, but I would really like to see you again," James said with a smile, knowing he was being forward, but no longer caring. If this was his last chance to talk to her, he might as well go all out.
Lily thought about it for a moment. She wasn't sure she liked him yet. He had charm, but he was so full of himself it was winding her up the wrong way. And yet, the opportunity for more exposure to the Wizarding World - that was too irresistible. "Okay," she said with a smile.
"I'll owl you," he smiled, and Lily nodded, before turning to walk away, really hoping that he did.