If anyone had asked James, which people never seem to do, he would have told them he had fallen in love with Lily the very first time he saw her; on a train in a compartment they shared with a future blood-traitor and a greasy future double-agent. Anyone who had been there would beg to differ; after all, their first confrontation ended with Lily stomping out in a huff. But James, being the sappy, doting husband he was, would still insist it was true.
If anyone asked Lily, which people tended to do quite often, she would have told them she had fallen in love with James on the side of the lake at Hogwarts on a rainy evening. But she could just as easily have given a dozen other places, including the cafe near her Muggle supermarket, the Great Hall just before that Quidditch match, or, yes, even on that train. Because the truth was, neither James or Lily actually knew when they fell in love with each other. Or if they had ever even needed to "fall in love".
You see, my dear Reader, every once in a while, there come two people who were made for each other. "Soul mates", some call them. Two people, who, when together, produce an energy, a force, that electrifies those around them. A cosmological connection that creates a subconscious link to your other half, the one human who complements you perfectly. This was James and Lily.
James realized it first, of course, and it caused him a good number of sleepless nights. For the first three years of his school career, he had despised girls, and to a further extent, Lily. Then, in his fourth year, everything changed. Inexplicably, he found a pair of startling green eyes showing up in his dreams and suddenly, he liked Lily Evans. Just like that. No questions asked.
Unfortunately for our fated pair, Lily takes a little bit longer to catch on to the universe's intentions. And that, my dear Reader, is where our story begins; with Lily Evans, on the sidewalk out side Platform 9 and 3/4...
Lily dragged her heavy suitcase and owl cage through the wall, staring back over her shoulder to make sure no terrified Muggles watching this innocent red-head walk straight into a solid wall. That would be troublesome, to say the least and Lily had already had enough trouble for a day. Her dear, lovely parents hadn't come to see her off because of her horse-face sister. It was all her fault, Lily seethed as she stared up at the huge steam engine. If stupid Tuney had not insisted that her idiot boyfriend Vernon was going to propose to her today (which he wasn't), her parents would have been here. What Tuney even saw in Vernon, Lily had no idea. He was sweet enought, but not at all charming and he was absurdly close-minded.
A loud thunk brought her back to her senses; she looked down and beamed. Her Head Girl badge had fell off. She bent over to grab it, but could only watch as it flew away promptly attached itself to a familiar (seventeen-year-old) hand.
"Mary?"
"Lilyyy!"
The two girls collided in an excited hug.
"Oh my god! I haven't seen you in ages! AGES! And did you hear?"
"Hear what?" A much much more cheerful Lily picked up her bags and followed after Mary, who was already rattling off the most recent updates and back-to-school gossip. The two girls continued to chat as they boarded the train and didn't stop until the train began to move.
"By the way, where's Marlene?"
"I dunno. I was with her a while ago, but then I saw you and she saw someone else. Maybe with Alice?"
"Probably with some bloke." Lily smiled knowingly.
"Always assuming the worst, aren't you?"
"You know it." Lily winked and Mary could only giggle.
"Blimey! I've got to go!" Lily leaped up.
"Don't say 'blimey'! It's un-ladylike!" Mary scolded.
"I'm not exactly the epitome of ladylike." Lily called as she raced down the corridor. Mary could only shake her head.
Lily grumbled as she bent over to pick up her badge again. She thought back, but couldn't think of any spell other than a Permanent Sticking Charm that would get her stupid badge to stay on.
"Stupid thing, just quit falling off!" She hissed to her badge.
"Talking to yourself, Evans?" A familiar, masculine voice asked.
She blushed and forced herself to look up.
Sirius Black stood, leaning cockily in the door frame of his compartment, grinning when she immediately hissed again.
"Easy. Simmer down, Evans."
"Make me." She shot back. Dammit, she cursed inwardly, 'Make me', that's the best you can come up with, Lily?
Apparently, Sirius thought so too; he snickered and turned back into his compartment.
"Oi! Head Boy!" He called and Lily let out a pent-up sigh of stress as an extremely masculine, but undeniably masculine voice replied back (thus ruling out Peter Pettigrew) ; she had been worried that she might be stuck with some awful Head Boy from Hufflepuff (sweet, but exceptionally meek), Ravenclaw (smart, but dull) or, god forbid, Slytherin. Remus Lupin, however, would be quite a treat; Lily liked Remus and found him to be a good conversationalist. He would undoubtedly brighten the infamously dull rounds that were standard-issue for Head Boys and Girls.
As she headed for the Prefect's Carriage, the weight on her heart lessened slightly.
"Hey! Evans!" And quick as a wink, the weight returned as she turned wearily.
"What do you want, Potter?"
"What's with the coldness?" He chuckled.
Lily rolled her eyes, though secretly, she was quite surprised. After...that time, she didn't expect Potter to be so comfortable around her. But, then again, she thought as they set off down the corridor, James Potter was never really one to take a hint.
AS they walked, they naturally set into their familiar teasing banter and time flew by. Lily nearly missed the right compartment, as she was too engrossed in an argument over whether the new Defense Against the Dark Arts was actually a werewolf (I mean, really. Why would Potter ever even think that?). She jumped and turned to James.
"So sorry to break up our wonderful conversation, but I must tear myself away." She smirked and turned to the door, only to find it already opened.
"After you, miss." James grinned back at her, pulling out a badge that was a little bit too familiar and attaching it to his sweater.
Lily could only gape.
Lily wrenched the door open furiously to find three large pairs of eyes staring at her in the slightly anxious way.
"Uh-oh. Girls." Marlene McKinnon's voice was teasing. "Lily has bought out the entire snack cart. This is a Code Red."
Mary nodded somberly. Alice wiped her face in the anxious way of someone who wants to help, but is worried that her help may only cause more trouble.
Lily glared at them moodily as she dumped her treasure out on the seat; Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties and Licorice Wands poured out. She knew her friends, while teasing, would not seriously mess with her. AS Marlene had so eloquently put it, this was a "Code REd" and Lily dealt with Code Reds by eating. And eating. And eating.
"James Potter is Head Boy." Lily finally burst out after 15 minutes of silence.
Alice and Mary dropped their jaws. Marlene let out a peal of laughter.
"You mean the one who put Dungbombs in Professor McGonagall's hat?" Lily nodded sadly as Marlene rolled on the floor laughing.
"And taught Peeves at least thirty new swear words." Lily nodded again. Mary joined Marlene's laughter as Alice continued to tick off the many sins of James Potter.
"And holds the records for most detentions? And hexed that Ravenclaw bloke so that his hair wouldn't stop growing for four days and they had to send him to St. Mungo's? And turned Profess-"
"YES!" Lily glared at her friends, who sobered up insantly. "And now, he is the bloody Head Boy!" The use of the curse word caused the previously raucuous atmosphere to come to a screeching stop. Her friends stared at her. Lily Evans was prim. She was proper. She was kind and pretty and clever and friendly and popular. She was fabulous. But she did NOT use expletives. Ever. Not when Sirius Black cursed her eyelids to keep twitching nonstop for three days. Not when she broke her arm falling down the stairs. Not when Evan Pratt dumped her in 5th year. Never.
Marlene sighed. "Well, it's not like there's anything you can do about it, is there?"
And that, Lily thought fiercely as she watched the country side pass by, is the problem.
A/N: I know, I know, this chapter is a little bit unoriginal (Lily finds out James is Head Boy, rage, blah blah blah). I promise, it will get way, way better. Or at least way, better.
Next week: Awkward reunions, a fight and an awkward rescue, and well...awkwardness.