Hey all, this is Once Upon a Marauder, take...a very high number. Sorry I keep deleting and reposting this, but thats what I do if I don't get enough reviews. Or if I see some changes that I think are worth making. So read, and at the end review and tell me what you think.
The blazing sunlight streaming through the windows gently shook Lily Evans from her sleep. Ugh, she thought. It's too bloody early to be awake. She rolled over onto her stomach and pulling the down comforter over her head, covering herself in instant darkness. Much better, Lily thought, smiling, and fell back to sleep.
Only a bit later, she was jolted from her sleep again by the incessant sound of tapping. Lily sat up slowly in confusion, and then realization hit her. "Bloody owls," she muttered, stumbling out of bed and opening the window. She was greeted by an entourage of four owls. Lily blinked.
And then—my birthday—she thought. She recognized three of the owls; two belonged to her best friends, Sophia Lexington and Michelle Matthews, the third to her friend Remus Lupin. The fourth, she assumed, was her Hogwarts letter. Lily read Sophia's first.
My little Lilikins is growing up!
Ha. Couldn't resist. Sorry, anyway, Happy birthday, Lils. You're finally 15—a perfect age to go to fifth year in-this year will be brilliant! How's Diego's? I'm down in Hawaii right now. American's are so odd. I'll bring some back and we'll make a zoo. Its really hot down here-I'm spending most of my time in my bikini at the beach. I have such a tan right now, plus I learned to surf. (Not well, I might add.) I'm coming home this afternoon. I'll show you some pictures. You and Michelle should meet me in Diagon Alley; we can spend a weekend at my house. Well, the last trip to the beach calls. Write back.
Love, Sophia
Lily smiled, and then rolled her eyes thinking of Diego's, the restaurant that she was spending the summer waitressing at for some extra money. She would change it into Galleons at Gringotts when she made her annual trip to Diagon Alley. She grabbed a quill and some parchment, and began to scribble a reply.
Dear Fee,
Another year older, and I look like a first year. I still haven't hit puberty, and I'm the shortest in our year! I'm hoping that this summer I will hit a growth spurt in the height department as well as in the curves department- It'd be nice to get out of an A cup. Well, we'll hit Diagon Alley and get some books with glamour spells, that'll be fun. Diego's is fine, albeit noisy, smelly, messy, and full of rude customers. At least I'm making money, and the only good think about looking eleven is coming into play here- I'm not being hit on by old men. This one girl, Sarah, who's just a year older then me, has her arse grabbed at least twice a day! I'd love to spend the weekend at your house; there are a few weekends I could come. You'll have to write me and Michelle so we can find some time to go. Bye-bye, Fee, have fun with the boys. Don't do anything that I wouldn't do! (Scratch that—I don't do anything, so if you didn't do anything I wouldn't do, you wouldn't have any fun!)
Love, Lily
She tied the letter to Sophia's owl's leg, and sent Sephion, the owl, off. Then she opened Michelle's letter.
Dear Lily,
Happy Fifteenth! I'm hoping your summer hasn't been as boring as mine-nothing's happened. Mum's spending the summer in Brazil with her fiancé, so I've been with Dad. But as he's been working the whole time, I've become very good at keeping up with my studies. I daresay I'll enter the Hogwarts nearly as smart as you. I think I probably have all of my books memorized. I have so much more to tell you, but its better to tell in person than in a letter. Fee wrote me and invited me up for a weekend, so I guess I'll see you then.
Love, Michelle
Lily smiled again, and wrote back:
Dear Michelle,
Thanks. I can't wait to see you, and hear what's happened. Get this—Petunia's getting married, to some bloke called Vernon Dursley. I'm so happy for her, and I can't wait to meet Vernon- I hope he deserves her! I'm to be a bridesmaid. She's not having a maid of honor. I wouldn't either, if I ever get married. I'd never be able to choose between you and Fee. We're going dress shopping soon. You'll have to write back with your phone number. Talking on the phone is so much easier than writing letters. See you soon!
Love, Lily
Lily sent Michelle's owl off, then took the letter from the last owl she recognized.
Hi, Lily,
Well, its summer, and I'm at James's house. Surprisingly, Sirius is here too, as he often is. I swear that boy is here more than he is at his own house. (In the background he's yelling that he is, in fact here more often, because his parents are a "stuck up bunch of pricks who should go shag the giant squid"). James would also like me to inform you that you are very uptight and maybe that would change if you "gained some weight up top and got laid". (He made me put that in, sorry.) I'm going to go now, since they're yelling at me to send this letter already and get my arse outside to play Quidditch. Happy birthday, see you on the train.
Your friend, Remus
P.S. I made prefect.
P.P.S. I wonder who the other one is, I bet its you.
Lily's eyes narrowed at the mention of James Potter and Sirius Black, but she sent a reply back to Remus.
Dear Remus,
I must say I pity you, spending the summer with Potter and Black. Sorry, I know they're your friends, but I can't stand them. Please tell Sirius that his parents probably don't need to shag the giant squid because he's gone and told him what its like. And tell James that my chest is none of his concern and that he needs to think about something besides sex and Quidditch. Congratulations on making prefect, who's the other one?
Lily
She turned to the final owl, bracing herself-this one would hold her marks for her fourth year. She opened the letter, and a scarlet and gold badge fell out.
Dear Ms. Evans
Congratulations on being made Gryffindor Prefect. You have been chosen because of your outstanding performance in the last four years. As a prefect, your responsibilities will include planning Hogsmeade weekends, school functions, extracurricular activities, and reinforcement of rules. You will also be expected to keep up with your grades. Failure to comply with all requirements will result in your prefect status being revoked. Have a nice summer
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Lily let out a small shriek and read through her marks- outstanding grades in every subject, and then rushed downstairs. Mr. and Mrs. Evans were already awake, as was Petunia.
"Happy Birthday," all three of them chorused.
"Thanks," Lily said, hugging each of them in turn. "I made prefect!" she cried, her eyes shining.
Her parents made pleased sounds. "Congratulations!" Petunia said. "Have some food." Lily sat down and ate. When she finished, Petunia spoke again.
"Vernon wants to take us all out to dinner tomorrow," she announced.
"Oh, that's great! I really want to meet him!" Lily cried. "Where are we going?"
"This wonderful place called Sunlight Grove. I haven't been there before, but I've heard that the food's fantastic."
"I'm sure it will be very fun," Mrs. Evans said. "Now, shouldn't you two be going?"
"Going?" Lily asked. "Where?"
"It's a surprise," Petunia winked. "Why don't you wear your green sundress and white platform shoes?"
Lily went upstairs, and put on the dress that Petunia had suggested. It was pale green, with a halter neck. It was short, it came to Lily's thigh, and it appeared shorter when Lily wore the sandals, which at least made her look a bit taller. As an afterthought, she grabbed a light-weight white sweater.
When she came down, Petunia was holding car keys. "Come on, Lily," she said, leading her out into the garage and into her non-descript car. The short ride was filled with mindless chatter, lasting only ten minutes. They arrived at a nondescript white building wedged in between a supermarket and a department store.
The entrance hall was as white and nondescript as its exterior, with a few dark green chairs lining the walls. Petunia sank into one, crossing and uncrossing her legs as she stared at her watch. Finally a tall Asian woman wearing appeared from another room.
"Petunia Evans?" she said, striding over to them. Petunia stood up. "I'm Joanne," she said, extending a manicured hand. "And you are," she said, taking in Lily's appearance.
"Lily," she said, taking Joanne's hand.
"Excellent," she said crisply. "Follow me."
"What are we doing here?" Lily whispered to Petunia as they followed Joanne into a room to the left of the hall.
"You, my dear Lily, are going to get a makeover. First stop, hair salon," Petunia said, leading Lily into the room Joanne had just entered. Petunia and Joanne conversed for a few minutes with a stylist, and half an hour later, Lily was lead into another room.
"Can I look in a mirror?" she asked.
"No," Joanne said firmly. "You'll be able to see yourself when you're done."
Lily had her eyebrows waxed, and had makeup put on. She lost count of what was put on her, but Petunia bought the products that were used. "All part of the birthday present," she said. Finally, Lily was lead to a mirror.
Her hair wasn't much shorter, but instead was cut into red layers that fell to her shoulder blades. Her eyebrows were in perfect arches, though a bit too thin. The eye-makeup was mostly natural, which Lily liked: brown eyeliner, pale gold eye shadow, and brown mascara framed her green eyes. She wore no lipstick, but instead a brownish-pink gloss.
Petunia whistled. "Wow, this looks so great! Thanks!" Lily said, rushing over to hug her older sister.
"Thank you," Lily said to Joanne.
"My pleasure," she said crisply. "Come back again."
"I always loved makeovers when I was your age," Petunia sighed in remembrance as they walked back to the car.
"And now you're what? Fifty?" Lily joked.
"Twenty," Petunia said with a smirk.
"Close enough." Lily said, looking back into the full-length mirror. Petunia took the opportunity to check her thin gold watch.
"We still have time left," she said. "Let's go see a movie." Lily immediately agreed, and the two climbed into Petunia's car and set out to the cinema.
Lily didn't know what the movie was; it was an overly clichéd romantic movie: girl meets boy, boy and girl hate each other, boy and girl fall in love, girl unknowingly breaks boy's heart, boy and girl are depressed, they meet up again, fall in love, and live happily ever after. Again.
What caught her attention was the male lead. It wasn't an actor that she had seen in another movie. The one she was currently watching wasn't a major movie; it was most likely the actor's first movie—yet he looked undeniably familiar. She racked her brain, and suddenly, it came to her.
Darren Brians was two years older than Lily, and was a Ravenclaw prefect. Though, she thought, it wouldn't be unlikely if he had become the Head Boy.
The actor didn't look exactly like Darren. Darren's nose was longer, more arched, then the actor's small, sharp nose. The actor's hair, though the same pale blonde as Darren's, was long and fell into his face, while Darren's was short and tidy. But they had the same blue-grey eyes, the same long, smoky lashes, the same full lips. Same kissable lips, Lily thought, then cringed and felt herself going red. Yet it was true. When Lily finally had her first kiss, she wouldn't mind it being with Darren.
She thought about Darren for the rest of the movie.
"So, Lily, what did you think?" Petunia said as they were pulling out of the parking lot.
"Mmm," Lily mumbled noncommittally. "It was okay."
"Yeah, I just loved Lucy and Matthew's wedding! The flowers were exquisite- white petunias! Vernon wants petunias to be the flowers in our wedding, but now I know that they should definitely be white. And Lucy's dress was breathtaking!"
Lily realized that Petunia was talking about the characters in the movie, and that they must have had a wedding at the end. Then she realized something, and interrupted Petunia's praise of the movie.
"Why does happily ever after always have to involve marriage?" Lily asked.
"Hmm?" Petunia asked in confusion.
"Fairy tales and movies never end with just regular love. They end with marriage," Lily explained.
"I sort of see what you're saying. I guess it is a bit clichéd…" Petunia trailed off. "But marriage is the ultimate act of love. People don't get married unless they're truly in love. Or drunk," she added as an afterthought. "So in these romantic stories, the wedding is a proof of their undying love. Everything else can go wrong, two people can lose everything, yet they still have everything when they have love. I guess that stories always end up that way to reassure the world around them, and stabilize things."
"I'd welcome the change once in a while," Lily objected.
"I'm sure that you would. But for some people, it's the little things that hold everything together. If just one thing changes, they'll unconsciously notice the other changes, small and major, and everything could fall apart."
Lily paused and thought about what Petunia had said. "I don't know," Lily said doubtfully. "I guess that it makes sense, but still, it doesn't." Petunia nodded in understanding. "Anyway, I've always been told that sex is the ultimate act of love."
"I'd like to think so," Petunia said heavily. "But I can't, because it's not true. Sex isn't always about love. There isn't any love in rape, and that's sex. People have sex when they're not in love, as much as I'd like it to not be true."
"But that's not the way it should be," said Lily.
"I know, but that's the way it is," Petunia said. "I won't try to make you save yourself for marriage-"
"But I plan to!" Lily protested.
"I know you want to. I didn't think I would lose my virginity before I was married, but that wasn't the way it turned out. But Lily, please promise me that you won't sleep with anyone unless you're absolutely sure that you love them."
"I promise," Lily said.
"Good. I don't want you to get hurt." They sat in silence for a few moments.
"Petunia?"
"Yes?"
"You said that you had wanted to save yourself for marriage but it didn't end up that way-"
"I don't want to talk about it," Petunia said firmly. Lily thought that it would be best to not argue.
"Lily! Lily, wake up!" Lily groaned and rolled over. "Lily!" a hand turned on her bedside lamp. Lily sat up with a start.
"Petunia!" she hissed. "Its—one twenty-two!" Lily squinted at the clock.
"And that's why you'd better be quiet," Petunia advised. "We are going to further celebrate your birthday by going to a nightclub." As Lily's eyes adjusted to the light, she saw that Petunia was wearing a white skirt and a blue scoop-necked shirt.
"Get up!" Petunia urged.
Lily rolled out of bed, rubbing her eyes.
"I've already got out some clothes for you to wear," Petunia said, throwing some clothes at her. "Change."
Lily was still half-asleep, so she did so without question. When she saw herself in the mirror, however, she began to question the outfit. She wore a tight, black skirt that was so short she was sure that if she bent over, she'd be giving whoever it was behind her quite a view. The halter top was made of silver, slippery material. It was cut to just below her collarbone in the front, but exposed most of her back.
"I look like a bloody prostitute!" she hissed.
"No, you don't!" Petunia said, waving a hand in dismissal. "Now sit down so I can do your makeup." Petunia used her own makeup on Lily- Just as well, the makeup she bought me today would be used up in one night—and spent five minutes brushing Lily's hair before she pronounced Lily done and spun her around to see the mirror.
She was wearing a lot of black eyeliner and mascara, combined with dark eyeshadow to give her eyes a smoky effect. Her lipstick was a dark, sultry red. "If I didn't look like a prostitute then, I bloody well do now!" Lily exclaimed quietly.
"Watch your language," Petunia jokingly reprimanded. "And really, you don't. Not compared to some of the other people you'll see there. Besides, it'll be dark, so you have to have a lot on so it can be seen."
"Shame that rule doesn't apply to clothes as well," Lily muttered.
The nightclub was, as Petunia had promised, plenty dark, but Lily still kept pulling her skirt down nervously.
"Relax!" Petunia laughed. "Just dance and have some fun. I'm going to. See you!" and Petunia walked off.
"Easy for you to say," Lily scowled. It was true: Petunia had golden hair and deep blue eyes, and a tall, curvy figure. She would have no problem attracting men. Lily, on the other hand, with her red hair, vivid green eyes, peaky complexion, and small, non-existent figure, would have a problem.
She spent a few sour moments watching Petunia dancing with a tall, dark-haired, someone, and then she felt a tap on her shoulder.
"You seem lonely." He was handsome with black hair, hazel eyes, and a smile. Lily could barely hear him. She nodded. "I'm Aden," he said. He didn't make a move to extend his hand.
"Lily," she said. She didn't extend hers either.
"Can I buy you a drink?" he offered, sensing her discomfort.
Lily hesitated, then—"Alright," she said, surprising herself.
"Excellent, I'll be right back," Aden said with a lazy smile.
Lily sighed and leaned against the wall. Have some fun for once! She scolded herself. Have a drink and dance with Aden. It won't hurt you! Resigned, Lily stood up straighter and tried to assume a less stiff stance.
Soon, Aden returned with two glasses.
"Thanks," Lily said, taking the one that he handed her.
"No problem," he said, swallowing a mouthful of his own.
"What is this?" she asked, peering at the amber liquid.
"I'm not entirely sure," Aden said, looking up as if trying to remember what the drink could be. Then he looked back, shrugged, and drank some more of his own.
Following suit, Lily choked down a bit from her own glass. Aden grinned, and she drank more, surprised to find that it was easier to get down once she was used to it.
"Want to dance?" she said loudly—the music was too loud to hear anything said in a normal voice.
"Sure," Aden said. Lily led him out onto the dance floor. They were both a bit awkward at first, but after a few minutes of watching people, Lily began to feel the music flow through her and she started dancing. It's not hard once you get into it, Lily reasoned, and it was true. Just half an hour ago, she had been standing against a wall, expecting not to have any fun, and now, she was dancing like it was the most natural thing with an extremely attractive guy.
"Come on, dance!" Lily laughed, moving around Aden to dance behind him. Finally, he, too, started dancing, and the couple moved in sync with the rest of the room. A few songs later, they stopped.
"Wow, I'm getting hot!" Lily said, wiping her forehead a bit with her hand.
Aden muttered something.
"What was that?" Lily asked.
"Oh, er, nothing," Aden said quickly, looking a bit embarrassed. "D'you want another drink?"
"Yeah," Lily said. Aden left, and Lily continued to dance a bit by herself, scanning the room for more people, but Aden was soon back. This drink went down more quickly then the last one; Lily was now used to it, and she was also fairly thirsty.
A hand spun Lily around. "Luke," another dark-haired boy said, though not as handsome as Aden.
"Lily," she said, and started dancing with Luke. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Aden, looking crestfallen. Then he shrugged his shoulders, and sidled up to a curvy brunette girl.
The music changed to a faster song, and Lily's dance picked up speed. Luke's movements followed her own.
There was no way to describe what Lily felt. She was normally so uptight, so rule abiding. Now, in the early morning in the nightclub, (aided by a few drinks) Lily's rules didn't seem to matter. Nothing seemed to matter, except for the music and the movement of the bodies all over the room. It was a high, Lily realized, a high that couldn't be obtained by drugs. It was pure exhilaration, pure happiness.
And then the song ended, and over the loud music, she just barely heard Luke say that he was going to get drinks. She barely registered that she had already had two drinks, and the drinks she had already had were much stronger than her previous experience with alcohol: a bit of champagne and butterbeer. She saw a few men look her up and down; she knew that her dancing was less conservative with every passing second.
When Luke appeared with her drink, she didn't stop to notice that she was no longer drinking the amber liquid; this stuff was clear. It was gone in seconds. Lily didn't want to waste her time not dancing. Luke joined her when he finished his own, but Lily was already dancing with someone else. She hadn't quite caught his name.
And so continued the dancing game; a new dancing partner every few songs, each partner bringing her a drink of some kind, until Lily lost track of exactly how many drinks and dance partners she had had. At some point, she found herself back with Aden.
"Hey," she said, running a hand through her hair as she danced.
"Hey." Lily was dancing closer to Aden than she had with anyone else that night. Then there was a solitary song where the beat slowed down, and she danced with her head pressed to his chest. His pounding heart beat a melody in her mind, a melody so sweet and erotic. Lily looked up into his hazel eyes; he looked down into her green ones. He leaned down, closed his eyes. She closed hers. Inches away from his face, something snapped in her head.
"What are you doing?" she demanded, stepping away.
"I was going to kiss you!" he said, his voice sounding slightly slurred and confused.
"That wasn't in my plan," she said as firmly as she could muster in her drunken state. "I've never been kissed, and I want my first kiss to be with someone special!"
Aden looked shocked. Then his hazel eyes went cold. "Bloody tease," he muttered, then his shoulders slumped and he turned away. Thank Merlin I won't have any trouble from him, Lily thought.
At that point, it seemed to kick in how very drunk she was. I'm going to pass out soon, she realized. I need Petunia to take me home. Luckily, her sister wasn't far away, and wasn't drunk.
"Oh, my," Petunia said, seeing the glazed look in Lily's eyes. "You're going to have a hell of a hangover tomorrow. I'd better get you home."
"I won't argue with that," Lily said, and then her knees collapsed.
Lily woke up entirely too early the next morning. She opened her eyes, and then shut them again. "Ow," she groaned. Was it just her, or was the sun ten times brighter that morning? And were the footsteps on the stairs ten times louder?
And then it sounded like someone was pounding a bass drum right in her ear. And shooting off cannon. Rhythmically, over and over. The deafening sound of the opening door didn't help.
"Lily?" Petunia whispered.
"My head is killing me," Lily groaned.
"I know," Petunia said. "You were pretty drunk; you have to expect a hangover." Lily glared at her as best as she could. "I have aspirin.'
"That is music to my ears," Lily said, sitting up just enough so that she could swallow a few.
"You're in for a hell of a day," Petunia said sympathetically. "Go take a cold shower and I'll make you some breakfast. That should help."
Petunia helped Lily sit up, and then handed her a towel. Lily went into the bathroom, and Petunia went downstairs. As Lily stood under the cold water, some of the night's even s came rushing back to her. She had to smile in spite of her hangover; she had had a good time, it was no use denying it.
When Lily went downstairs, Petunia had a mug of coffee and a bagel waiting for her.
"Eat," she advised. "It'll help." It was true; by the time she had sipped the last dregs of her coffee and eaten the last bite of bagel, her headache had greatly diminished.
"You really owe me, you know," Petunia said conversationally. "You threw up on me in the parking lot, and you threw up in the hall. It was disgusting, but I cleaned up for you."
Lily winced. "Sorry."
"It's okay. God knows I've had my fair share of drunken vomiting." Lily smiled. "You can start making it up by helping me and Mum pick out wedding dresses."
"Excellent."
The dresses in the shops were frighteningly similar. The ones in the first store made Petunia look like a marshmallow. They were lacy, with puffy waists and ballooned sleeves. The second shop had unconventional dresses; Petunia quickly dismissed the small red dress and the forest green suit.
"I plan to go for a traditional wedding," she explained.
They didn't expect much from the third shop. They were right not to. It contained dresses that looked like they were from a child's first communion. In the fourth shop, they finally had luck. The dress they ended up choosing was plain white and strapless. It was tastefully embroidered with seeded pearls. Petunia appeared to float while wearing it.
Mrs. Evans wanted to go home after they found the dress, but her daughters overruled her. They looked for bridesmaid dresses. A saleslady there suggested a dress. It was reddish orange, fell to mid-calf, and had long sleeves. It was revolting.
The second dress was all right. It was cream colored and was knee-length. It had a conservative neckline, and a low back, though not as low as the shirt that Lily had worn to the club. The third dress was a deep blue, also knee-length. It had almost no sleeves, a deep v neckline, and a swooping back. Petunia pronounced it perfect, and they left to get ready to meet Vernon for dinner.
At six o'clock, Mr. and Evans, Lily, and Petunia arrived at Sunshine Grove to meet Vernon Dursley. Lily took one look at the occupants of the restaurant and felt very glad that she had heeded Petunia's suggestion to dress formally. She was wearing a white pencil skirt and lavender top. The outfit was dressed up with a pair of white-gold hoop earrings.
Petunia was wearing a cream colored dress with a light pink floral print. Lily had wrinkled her nose in distaste when she saw it. "The colors don't do much for me, do they?" Petunia said, sighing ruefully at Lily's reaction. "Vernon bought it for me. Its one of his favorites."
Mr. Evans lead the family in, stopping to inform the maitre d' that they were meeting a "Mr. Vernon Dursley." They were lead to a candle-lit room in the back with a jazz piano playing softly in the background. Most of the tables were occupied, but one round table, set for five, had only one man sitting at it.
Vernon Dursley seemed to be missing his neck. It had been replaced by a few extra chins, protruding sharply from the neck of his three-piece suit. He had small, piggish eyes, set deep into his rather fat face. Lily could barely make out that they were cobalt blue, perhaps the nicest feature that he possessed. His moustache and deteriorating hairline were beginning to turn what could kindly be described as "salt and pepper."
"Petunia, darling!" he said, standing up. The buttons on his gray vest strained against his bulk. He adjusted the navy blue jacket covering it as he strode over to greet his fiancée.
"Vernon," Petunia graciously acknowledged with a smile, giving him a tender kiss. Lily closed her eyes, internally cringing.
"Shall we sit down?" Vernon said, gesturing to the tables.
"Yes, lets," Mr. Evans said, pulling out a chair for his wife. Vernon followed suit for Petunia. Lily pulled out her own chair.
"You must be Lillian," Vernon said once he was sitting down with his napkin on his lap. "Petunia has told me very much about you."
"Yes, I've heard quite a bit about you, too, Vernon," Lily said, immediately disliking the man. Try to be polite, she thought. It's hard, but for Petunia's sake, try!
Lily looked up to the sound of fingers snapping. "Waiter!" Vernon cried, snapping his fingers again. "Waiter, come here! We want to order!" A miffed looking man walked over, pulling out a pad of paper.
"For you, Miss?" he said, looking at Lily.
"Er," Lily said, opening her menu. "I'll have the House Salad, with red wine vinaigrette on the side," she said, ordering the safest vegetarian option.
Her parents opted for chicken parmesan, more safe options, while Vermin, Vernon, Lily corrected in her mind, ordered a steak. When Petunia opened her mouth to order, Vernon interrupted.
"Might I recommend something, dear?" he asked. Without waiting for a reply, he ordered for Petunia. "Veal, cooked medium rare, with roasted potatoes on the side. Hurry along, I'm a paying customer, I won't be kept waiting!" The waiter hurried off, seeming pleased to be rid of the obnoxious man.
"You can't find good help nowadays, can you?" he said, sighing, as if the waiter had somehow offended him.
"Right you are, Vernon," Petunia said, helping herself to a slice of bread from the basket sitting on the table and smearing it with butter. Lily noticed Petunia's indifference and couldn't stop herself from speaking.
"Petunia?" Lily said, gritting her teeth.
"Yes?" she said, after swallowing some bread.
"I thought you'd been a vegetarian since you were thirteen and a vegan since you were sixteen?"
"Was I?" Petunia said, shooting Lily a warning look. Lily paid no attention.
"And yet you're eating butter and veal?"
"I don't believe she asked for your opinion," Vernon cut in icily.
"Lily, Vernon doesn't approve of vegetarianism. It's not healthy," Petunia said in a monotonous tone, as though it had been rehearsed.
She acts differently around him, Lily realized. Petunia was changing herself to meet the requirements of the man that she thought she loved.
"Exactly!" Vernon cried, spitting a bit of bread out as he spoke. Lily cringed. "And I'll thank you for not interfering! Subject closed."
"Lily, shush," Mrs. Evans said quietly, laying a hand on Lily's arm. Lily crossed her thin arms over her chest, her vivid green eyes flashing as she glared at Vernon. The conversation progressed, and the food eventually came, but Lily wasn't paying attention. She was seething inside, and making mental laments about Vernon Dursley.
The conversation eventually moved on to jobs. After Vernon's long monologue about his career (he worked at Grunnings, a company that manufactured drills) Mrs. Evans began asking about Petunia's job.
"Oh, it's wonderful!" Petunia said, her blue eyes shining. Petunia was a social worker. "Ed Parker, you know, the assistant director? Well, he's retiring, and I think I might be promoted into his spot!"
"That's great!" Lily exclaimed, being enthusiastic for the first time since she met her elder sister's intended.
Vernon seemed to squint his eyes, if doing that was at all possible for him. "Petunia, you know that I don't approve of you working! The working force has been contaminated by women these days. Our society belongs in the hands of men." Petunia sat there, looking shocked as she meekly took the scolding. "I expect you to hand in your resignation by the end of the week. Do I make myself clear?" he demanded.
"Yes, Vernon," Petunia said, casting her eyes downward.
"That's bullocks!" Lily burst out.
"I beg your pardon?" Vernon said dangerously.
"You heard me! Bullocks!"
"That's quite enough, Lily!" Mr. Evans said quietly. Lily sat back in her seat again. "Eat your food." Lily belligerently shoved a forkful of salad into her mouth and chewed with her mouth open, all the while staring defiantly at the people at her table. Vernon made a show of wincing and wiping some of Lily's flying spittle from his face.
When everyone had calmed down, the conversation progressed, and Vernon began talking about the wedding. "Marge is very excited about the wedding. She's picked out a dress for you. Here's a photo of it, what do you think?" A picture was passed around the table. When it reached Lily, she inhaled sharply in disgust.
The dress was an awful pale peach color, with liberal amounts of lace on it. "This is revolting!" Lily said. Petunia and Vernon gasped, looking highly affronted. "It's true! And who is Marge, anyway?" she demanded.
Petunia opened her mouth to answer, but Vernon beat her to it. "Marge is my sister," he said, puffing out his chest. "Petunia's maid of honor. Surely you've heard of her?"
Lily was sure her mouth dropped open. "Maid of-maid of honor?" she said in a broken voice. "Petunia, you told me that you weren't having one!" Petunia was blushing furiously. "How dare you!" Lily shouted in rage. "I'm supposed to be your maid of honour! I'm your sister! And you lied to me, Petunia, you lied!"
"Lily, you're acting like a child!" Petunia exclaimed, the bright red of her face contrasting with her pale hair.
"Robert, has this girl no manners?" Vernon said, wiping his piggish face. "I'd think at that school of her's, they'd use some discipline! Where is it that she goes?"
"Ah," her father began, clearly thinking of some name, any name, off the top of his head.
"Hogwarts," Lily said in a broken voice, ignoring the warning glance that Petunia was shooting her. "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"I beg your pardon?" Vernon asked looking at her oddly.
"Oh, didn't dear Petunia tell you? I'm a witch!" Lily said, her voice growing louder with every word. "You know, hocus pocus, abracadabra, wands, spells, the whole," she said, enunciating the word. "Bloody." Her eyes were growing brighter. "Shebang!" With the last word, she flung her glass of water into Vernon's lap.
He looked at her in horror. "So this is why you wouldn't let me meet her, Petunia! She's a lunatic! A bloody, raving lunatic!"
"Vernon?" Petunia said shakily. "I-its true. Lily is a witch." She looked up hesitantly, as if preparing herself for the blow. "I didn't want to tell you because I was ashamed."
Lily stood up. "SHUT UP!" she roared. People were looking. I don't care, she fumed. Let them look. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR BIGOTED FIANCÉE! HE'S AN EGOTISTICAL, CHAUVINISTIC ASSHOLE, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU BLOODY WELL TAKE IT! You know what you should do, Vermin-er, sorry-Vernon?" she spat, her voice dangerously low after the screaming. "TAKE YOUR PRICK AND SHOVE IT UP YOUR BLOODY ARSE!" Vernon looked shocked. "If you even have one," Lily said a bit more quietly. "A prick, that is, we can clearly see you have an arse, you have quite a few, by the looks of it!"
"THAT'S IT!" Petunia shrieked. "YOU'RE OUT OF MY WEDDING! YOU'RE NOT EVEN WELCOME THERE! YOU'D BETTER NOT STEP A SINGLE BLOODY FOOT NEAR ME ON MY WEDDING!"
"Oh, I don't want to be in your wedding!" Lily said, shaking her head in disbelief at her sister's actions of the day. "I don't want to be near you ever again!" Lily started running out of the restaurant. "FUCK YOU!" she screamed as loudly as she could over her shoulder as she left the restaurant, ignoring the scandalized whispers that followed her.
Lily ran for a while, and then stopped, catching her breath. Where can I go? She thought. She couldn't go home; she didn't want to see her sister, not my sister, she corrected. I deny all relation to that bitch, she thought. She couldn't face her parents.
A car drove next to her, slowing down. "Hey, babe!" a drunk-looking man said loudly through the open window. "You lost? Want a ride?" Some laughter could be heard from the back seat.
"No, thank you," Lily said, scraping together her dignity. The car sped off. The inhabitants of the car threw some bottles at Lily as they passed. "Prats," she muttered as she began walking. Then she tripped over one of the glass beer bottles, and began to fall. She threw her left arm in front of her, so her face wouldn't hit pavement. And then—
A purple double-decker bus screeched to a stop in front of Lily. She jumped up, dusting off the front of her skirt. "Hello, welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transportation for the stranded witch or wizard. My name is Dan Shunpike and I'll be your conductor for this evening." The man standing in front of her appeared to be in his early thirties, with some acne scars remaining from adolescence.
"Hi," Lily said. "I'm Lily Evans. I'm a bit lost."
"Well, of course you are!" Dan said amiably. "Come on up, mind your head!" Lily followed him up onto the bus. "That'll be ten Sickles," he said, holding out a palm.
"Er, I don't have any money with me," Lily said.
"Very well then, you can pay us once you get to the other end," Dan said, sounding bored. "Where to?"
"Er, Lexington Manor, that's in Rowenoake Downs, you know how to get there?" Lily said, thinking of Sophia's house. Mansion, more like, she thought.
"Did you hear that, 'Ern? Do we know how to get to Rowenoake Downs!" Dan said to the middle-aged man in the conductor's seat, chuckling. "You just have a seat on one of these beds!" Lily sat on a hap hazardously placed iron bed, nearly falling off with every bump of the bus, which happened quite often.
Lily watched as a toddler crawled up to Dan. "Meet Stan, my son," he said proudly. "What was your name again?"
"Lily," she said, gasping as she righted herself on the bed.
"Right. Stan, meet Lily. Lily, meet Stan!"
"How old is he?" Lily asked politely.
"Just turned seventeen months a bit over a week ago," Dan answered. Lily tuned Dan out as he started on a long assessment of Stan's dietary habits. (He won't eat anything blue, that one!)
Then, finally, "Lexington Manor, that's in Rowenoake Downs," a wheezy voice from the drivers seat said. Lily stood up.
"Right then. We'll wait here while you get those ten Sickles. Be sharpish, we've got other customers too you know!" Dan said.
Lily shakily walked off the bus and up the walkway. She dropped the huge knocker that was in the shape of a burning cauldron (the main part of the Lexington family crest) and heard Mrs. Lexington's voice shouting "Just a minute, be there in a minute, no, we don't want whatever you're selling!" Lily had to smile.
The door opened, and Lorelei Lexington's thin frame was revealed. "Lily! What a delightful surprise!" she said. Indeed, Mrs. Lexington seemed delighted. "What brings you to our neck of the woods?"
"A bit of a long story," Lily said. "I'll tell you in a few minutes. Could I stay here for a little while?"
"Of course, come on in!" Mrs. Lexington said.
"All right, could I borrow ten Sickles? I'll pay you back, I just need to pay the Knight Bus." Mrs. Lexington sighed sympathetically, and handed Lily the money. "Thanks!" Lily dashed off and handed Dan the money, ("Come again!") then ran back to where Mrs. Lexington was standing.
"Sorry about that!" Lily said, gasping for breath.
"Quite all right," Mrs. Lexington said. "I'm just glad you arrived today. Any sooner and we probably wouldn't have been home."
"Right," Lily said. "Well, is Sophia here?"
"Why yes, of course she is!" Mrs. Lexington said. "SOPHIA! COME SEE WHO'S HERE!" Mrs. Lexington yelled up the stairs. Lily could hear thundering footsteps rushing down the mahogany stairs. "She sounds like an elephant, doesn't she?" Mrs. Lexington sighed ruefully. A few seconds later, Sophia arrived.
"Ohmigod! Lily!" Sophia shouted, flinging herself at Lily and hugging her.
"Oof," Lily grunted as the wind was knocked out of her.
"So, Lily was going to tell us about what happened," Mrs. Lexington said lightly. "Why don't we go into the lounge?" Lily and Sophia dutifully followed her into the said room. Mrs. Lexington and Sophia sat on the loveseat, while Lily sank into the low armchair.
"I met Petunia's fiancée," Lily said, and then launched into her story.
As Lily told them about the night's events, she took the opportunity to study their appearances. Mrs. Lexington was very tall—almost six feet tall, but instead of looking like a large woman, she was willowy. Her waist-length hair was a deep, blue-black, her large eyes a pale yellow. Lorelei Lexington was an elf, and she told her story of how she entered the Wizarding world often.
I was born into the Elvin Tribe of Valor. My Father was Leon, the leader of our tribe. When I was fourteen, I was betrothed to Leopold, the Prince of an Elvin kingdom that was far from the woods where I grew up. We were to be married when I was nineteen- the custom marriage age for elves. It was on the eve of my wedding when I met Hunter. I remember that night so clearly. I was wearing a dress spun from unicorn hair, and a crown made of rare flowers. As tradition dictated, I kept vigil that night on the lake. As night fell, my raft was pushed into the middle of the lake. When the sun rose in the morning, the vines tying it to shore would be pulled by Leopold, and I would be drawn in to shore. That night, at midnight, a man came in a small canoe. Hunter believed the legend of an Elvin bride: spy one keeping vigil on her wedding eve, and a wish will be granted. I don't know about any wishes, but as soon as we saw each other, it was love at first sight. I crept into his boat, and I ran away with him. We eloped, and we're still happily married, almost seventeen years later.
Lily didn't know how much of Mrs. Lexington's tale was true, but it was the kind of thing that she had read about in Muggle fairy tales as a child-the princess is going to marry the prince, she doesn't love him, meets the other guy, falls in love, lives happily ever after. The End. Another story with the happy ending occurring after the wedding. It occurred to Lily that marriage didn't always constitute a happy ending; if ever there was a marriage doomed to fail, it was Petunia and Vernon's.
Sophia looked almost exactly like her mother, except for her eyes. Sophia's were violet. It was something having to do with mixing human and Elvin genes, although Lily didn't know much about the subject. True to her word from the letter, Sophia had a killer tan. She looked great.
Eventually, Lily finished her story. Some of it had Mrs. Lexington and Sophia in tears of laughter, some of it had them pursing their lips and shaking their heads.
"Well, Lily. Am I right in saying that you don't really want to go back there?" Lily nodded. "Well, that's settled," she said, clapping her hands. "Come along, Lily."
"Where am I going?" Lily asked.
"To your house. I'm going to inform your parents that you're staying here for the rest of the summer, and you can pack up your stuff."
"YES!" Sophia shrieked. "This is awesome!"
"Thank you," Lily said. "But how are we getting to my house? You don't have a car, we're not hooked up to the Floo Network, and it'd be illegal to make a Portkey."
"Oh," Mrs. Lexington said, looking crestfallen. Then, she visibly brightened. "We'll have to do Side-Along Apparition!" Sophia winced. "Oh, shut up, you!" Mrs. Lexington said, waving her hand at her daughter. "Grab hold of my arm, Lily, and don't let go!" A second later, Lily felt as if she was being squeezed rather tightly. When she opened her eyes, she was standing in her living room at home.
"Right," Lily said. "I'm having second thoughts about getting my Apparation license."
"Oh, it's not so bad once you get used to it!" Mrs. Lexington said brightly. "Why don't we find your parents, and then I'll help you pack." Lily led Mrs. Lexington to the dining room, where they found Mr. and Mrs. Evans comforting a sobbing Petunia.
Suddenly, Petunia saw Lily. "You!" she said, pointing at Lily through her sobs. "I hope you're happy! Vernon said that he'd have to reconsider the wedding! It's your entire fault, you-you freak!" Lily stepped back, looking shocked. She had expected Petunia to be angry, but she had never before called Lily a freak. Mrs. Lexington stepped forward into the room.
"Hello," she said. "I am Lorelei Lexington, I'm sure you have heard of my daughter, Sophia." Lily's family seemed to be shrinking back from the rather imposing woman's presence.
Mr. Evans, at least, seemed to remember his manners. "I'm Robert Evans," he said, standing up and offering his hand. Mrs. Lexington took it grudgingly. "This is my wife, Violet, and my other daughter, Petunia."
"So I assumed," Mrs. Lexington said shortly. "Lily arrived at my home about half an hour ago, and told me of this evening's events. I have thought about what has happened, and I decided that it is best if Lily spends the remainder of the summer in Rowenoake Downs. If that's all right with you, of course," she said hastily.
"Mum, please!" Petunia sobbed. "I couldn't stand being with her for the rest of the summer!"
Mr. and Mrs. Evans seemed to undergo a silent conversation.
"Very well," Mrs. Evans said. "Lily, you may stay with the Lexington's for the rest of the summer holidays. You might want to go up and pack."
"Lily will return before we leave to say goodbye," Mrs. Lexington said. Lily led her up to her room. "Get out your trunk," she said. Lily did so. Mrs. Lexington did some complicated movements with her wand, and all of her belongings sorted themselves neatly into the trunk. "I'll take this home while you say goodbye to your parents," she said comfortingly, then with a small pop disappeared.
Lily trudged downstairs. "Mum? Dad?" she said softly. Her parents looked up. "I'm sorry for acting so rudely towards Vernon."
Her father waved a hand in dismissal. "I think he's a right prat too, but you need to remember that he's going to be family. Come here, give me a hug." Lily gave him a tight hug, then released him and turned to her mother.
"We love you, but I think it would be best if you and Petunia spent some time apart," Mrs. Evans said quietly. "We'll call Diego's and tell them you won't be returning this summer." Lily gave her hug.
"Bye," she said. "I love you."
"Goodbye, darling," her parents said.
"Be sure to borrow Sophia's owl to write to us," Mrs. Evans added. "She doesn't want you to right now, but I'm sure she'll change her mind about you being allowed at her wedding."
"I'm not sure I even want to go now," Lily said quietly.
"I know," Mrs. Evans said comfortingly, "But when it's all said and done, you'll be sorry to have missed Petunia's wedding." Lily nodded.
"Lily?" Mrs. Lexington said, appearing behind her. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yeah," Lily said. "Bye, Mum, Dad." She took Lorelei's arm, and they disappeared.
A week later, Lily sent Sophia's owl, Sephion, to her parents. They replied requesting that she attend Petunia's wedding; she had agreed to let Lily come, but not as a bridesmaid.
Mrs. Lexington dropped Lily off at her own house on the day of the wedding. "I'll pick you up tomorrow morning at ten," she said. "Don't let that prat get to you." Mrs. Lexington and Sophia had taken to calling Vernon the Prat. Lily had taken to calling him Vermin.
"Bye," Lily said and stepped into the house. "Mum, I'm home," she called. Mrs. Evans appeared from the kitchen. Lily hugged her mother. "I missed you," she whispered.
"I missed you too," Mrs. Evans said.
"Where's Petunia? I wanted to apologize," Lily said.
"In her room," Mrs. Evans said. Lily quietly walked up her elder sister's room and knocked.
"Come in," said the muffled voice. Lily opened the door.
Petunia sat cross-legged on the bed, flipping through a photo album that Lily knew to contain pictures of Lily and Petunia as small children.
"Petunia," Lily said. Petunia didn't say anything. She wouldn't look at Lily. She just stared at the photo album. Lily sighed. "I'm sorry. I was such a bitch. You did all that for me on my birthday and when I was drunk, and that was how I repaid you? I'm sorry. You have your reasons for changing your beliefs, and I shouldn't question them. You never question mine."
Petunia still said nothing, though Lily knew that she was listening; she was no longer flipping through. A pale, shaking hand held the corner of a page.
"Petunia," Lily said.
Petunia looked at Lily, tears running down her face. Lily stared at her, shocked. Petunia's face was pale, gaunt, and haunted. Has she eaten since I last saw her? Lily could feel her own eyes start to water as well, and then she stepped forward and hugged Petunia tightly, wincing at how small Petunia felt, at how sharp her bones were.
"I'm sorry as well," Petunia sobbed. "I should have made you my maid of honour!"
"I don't care about that, Petunia!" Lily exclaimed. "I just wish you had told me that this Marge was going to be your maid of honour, it was a shock, that's all." Lily broke away from the embrace. "Oh, Petunia! I just want it to be like it was before!"
"Lily, I don't think it ever will be like it was before. I'd like it to be as much as you do, but somehow I just can't believe that it can go back to normal." And as always, Lily knew that Petunia was right.
Lily saw Vernon right before the wedding. She didn't want to, but she knew she had to for Petunia's sake. She braced herself, and then walked up to Vernon.
"Vernon?" she said from behind him. He turned around.
"Oh. Lillian," he said distastefully.
"Could I talk to you, please? Alone?" she added, noticing the people looking at them interestedly.
Lily led Vernon to the opposite end of the room. "Listen, I'm really sorry about the restaurant. I was being horrible and immature. You and Petunia didn't deserve any of the things that I said, and now that I actually think about what I said, none of its true and I didn't mean it." Lily thought privately that she did mean what she said. She kept that thought to herself.
Vernon raised his eyebrows. "All right, all right," Lily sighed. "I might have been a bit hung-over too." He gazed at her, unimpressed.
"I know that we won't be best friends, but let's try to get along, all right? For Petunia's sake."
"Fine," Vernon said shortly. "Is that all?"
"Yes."
"Good." Vernon turned back to the other guests and began speaking to them with a much look on his face that suggested that someone had shoved something rather unpleasant under his nose. Lily glared at him behind his back, when she was sure that no one was looking.
The wedding was nice, as far as weddings went. Marge Dursley, Vernon's sister and the maid of honour, was a large woman who drank a lot of champagne at the reception. The best man wasn't much more attractive then Marge. They made a good match. The only bridesmaid was Nora, one of Petunia's friends from school.
Lily drank a bit of champagne, but took care to not get drunk. She spent the reception with Jack, one of her cousins that was a year younger than her. They weren't especially close, but they got on well.
The next day thankfully came when she could go back to Sophia's house. Lily recounted the story of the wedding in five minutes; there wasn't much to tell.
"Ready to go?" Sophia said. It was two weeks later, August 31, and Lily and Sophia were about to go to Diagon Alley to meet Michelle and to get their school supplies.
"Yep," Lily said cheerfully. "Race you downstairs!" Sophia immediately took off running and began thundering down the stairs. Lily smiled and ran after her, but instead of running downstairs, she sat on the railing and slid down instead. She beat Sophia by about a second. "Beat you!" Sophia stuck out her tongue.
Mrs. Lexington was waiting by the fireplace. "Now don't forget, get me another bag of Floo Powder!" she said.
"I won't," Lily said reassuringly, and took a handful of Floo Powder and threw it into the fire. "Diagon Alley!" she said as she stepped in. She began spinning and found herself in the familiar street. Lily dusted her jeans off, and looked around to find Sophia stumbling out of the public fireplace behind her.
"Right," Sophia said, spitting some soot out of her mouth. "I officially hate Floo. I'll never use it again."
"Oh, cheer up! You say that every year!" Lily said, gently shoving her friend.
"Yeah? Well this year, its true!" Sophia shoved her back.
Lily laughed. "Hey, is that Michelle?" she said, pointing. "MICHELLE!" she said, cupping her hands around her mouth and yelling.
"Lily! Sophia!" Michelle called, rushing over. As she got closer, Lily could see her for the first time in two months. Her honey colored hair was a bit longer, it reached the middle of her back, and it was wavier than before. Her hazel eyes were covered by a pair of wire rimmed glasses, and she looked to have lost a bit of weight.
"You look great!" Lily exclaimed.
"As do you," Michelle said, hugging Lily, then Sophia. "Lets go get our school supplies so we can go to Florean Fortescue's. I'm in the mood for some ice cream. Come on," she said, gesturing for them to follow.
The three spent an hour doing the more undesirable task of getting books and supplies. Finally, they were done. "Michelle?" Sophia said, trying to be inconspicuous.
"Yes?"
"I have something to get. Will you come with me?"
"Hmm?" Sophia kicked Michelle. "Oh, right!" Michelle said, remembrance dawning. "Lily, you go on to Florean Fortescue's. Get us a table, won't you? We won't be a minute!" The two dashed off before Lily could say anything. "Thanks!" Michelle called over her shoulder.
Lily shook her head and made her way to the ice cream parlor. She secured an outdoors table for the three of them, and waited a few minutes before her friends got back. A pair of hands covered Lily's eyes.
"Guess who?" Sophia's voice said, inches from Lily's ears.
"I wonder…" Lily said, pretending to ponder.
"You can open your eyes, now!" Michelle said, sounding excited.
"I wasn't aware I was told to close them," Lily said. Sophia removed her hands. Lily gasped. Sitting in front of Lily was an owl. The owl was the colour of wine, with gold eyes. "He's gorgeous!"
"She," Michelle and Sophia simultaneously corrected.
"Right. I'm naming her Guinevere," Lily said.
"Nice," Sophia said approvingly.
"Very," Michelle echoed.
They spent the rest of the day sitting under a tree in the lazy sunlight, catching up. Lily found herself retelling the entire tale of her birthday to Sophia and Michelle; neither had heard about the nightclub.
"So anyway," Lily said. "We went at one thirty in the morning, and I looked like a total prostitute!"
Michelle and Sophia howled with laughter.
"Are you telling me," Michelle said, gasping for breath in between short bursts of laughter, "that you, Lily the Great, Lily the Good, Lily the Prude, looked like a prostitute?"
"That's not the worst part, I wasn't done talking!" Lily said. "So I met this guy named Aden."
"Was he hot?" Sophia immediately interrupted.
"Yes, he was, now stop interrupting. Anyway, he bought me a few drinks, then I danced with a few more people, and they all bought me a few drinks."
"Ouch," Sophia said."
"Yeah. I had a massive hangover the next day!" Lily said.
"You haven't yet told me about meeting Vernon," Michelle said, out of the blue.
"Oh yeah. Well, he was this really fat guy. He ordered for Petunia. I guess that was sweet of him, but he ordered veal for her! He's made her renounce her vegetarianism, and he made her quit her job, because "women are corrupting the workforce!"
"Merlin, he sounds like an arsehole," Michelle said.
"You haven't heard what Lily said to him yet," Sophia butted in.
Lily rolled her eyes. "I might have told him to stick his prick up his arse," she said slowly.
Michelle howled with laughter.
"You're turning red!" Sophia said gleefully, pointing at Lily. Michelle laughed louder.
After a while, Lily couldn't help it. She joined in too, laughing until her stomach ached from laughter.
Marriage may be one of the ultimate acts of love, Lily thought, but so is friendship. I can have a happy ending without marriage. My happy ending is right here, with my friends.
And there you have it. That was the first installment of Once Upon a Marauder.
Characters introduced: (in order of appearance)
Lily
Mrs. Evans
Mr. Evans
Petunia
Vernon
Mrs. Lexington
Sophia
Michelle
Next Chapter:
The Hogwarts Express, sorting ceremony. You'll be introduced to more main characters.
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Thank you all so much!
throughthemist