Lily felt terrible for lying to her parents, really. But every year in school had put what felt like an extra mile of distance between her and her family, and she could feel them fading into the background, dull and flat in the first pages of her life while everything happening now was bright and up-close. She was in love, there was a war, she'd even failed a class... but for all her parents knew, she was the happy Head Girl in a fantasy world they could barely imagine. In truth, their simple Muggle life seemed more the fantasy to her, now.
She knew she couldn't live in two worlds forever, and that days like today would only widen the gulf between her and her dear, sweet family. It was already over between her and her sister, as evidenced by Christmas dinner, but how much longer before it was over between her and her parents, too? And what if her trying to stay a part of their lives was putting them in danger?
The thoughts were pushed away as she listened for the footfalls of professors in the halls. She and James, of course, had authority to out of bed at three o'clock in the morning on a Saturday—Head Boy and Girl still means something, even though school seems like a sick farce when their friends are dying outside the castle walls—but Sirius, Remus, and Peter don't, and if the five of them don't get out of the castle and into Hogsmeade soon, they won't be able to pull off the plan they've spent weeks on.
Doing her best to pretend like she's the one enforcing the rules instead of breaking them, Lily strutted imperiously down the corridor that would take her closest to the Whomping Willow. She heard a dog howling wildly out on the grounds, and smiled to herself. That was her signal.
The five of them—or rather, Lily, Remus, and the three assorted animals—stood a safe distance from the ominous tree. James hadn't needed to transform for any part of their plan, as a giant stag wasn't the most practical of furry friends, but he had anyways, likely to show off. As soon as the shaggy black dog was a handsome young man in a leather jacket, so too was the stag. "Matching outfits? You two are such a cute couple," Lily teased, yawning.
"We're not matching, Lily!" Sirius corrected. "I'm wearing a Sex Pistols shirt, James went mainstream and wore a Led Zeppelin shirt. It's like I don't even know him anymore."
"I'm sorry I'm not punk enough for you, Sirius. Deeply sorry. Moony, will you let our tiny friend down now?" James kicked a spot of grass, no doubt anxious for what was to come.
Remus knelt down, and a rat scampered off his arm and towards the tree. "Frank Longbottom said he and Alice were coming first thing in the morning, and I think Al is bringing Hufflepuff friends, too. Did McKinnon and MacDonald make a decision, Lil?"
"Yeah!" Lily nodded, and the tree froze behind them. "I'm so proud of Mary, you know how hard it is for her after last year...but they'll be there, and I think Dorc and the Dearborn bloke, too. If Frank, Al, and Al's roommates are coming, too, the count comes to almost 20."
The group moved towards the frozen tree, and James spoke again. "Not that I asked, but that crusty old bloke at the Hog's Head said he doesn't care who uses his Floo as long as they buy a drink, so that'll take care of the people who failed their App tests..."
And those who aren't old enough to Apparate, Lily thought, picturing the Ravenclaw prefect who'd approached her in the library about coming, and the boy from Hufflepuff who'd already nearly been expelled for duelling Slytherins since his parents were killed. She was almost certain they'd be there.
They walked without words through the damp tunnel beneath the Willow and into the Shrieking Shack, where a mousy boy with light brown hair was waiting for them. "Are you sure we won't be expelled for this?" he asked nervously, rubbing his thumb over his wand.
"No," James said plainly, "why, is it not worth—"
Lily cut him off, sensing the edge in his voice. "Pete, if you're not up for it, it's alright. We're all taking a big risk tonight, it's not fair to force you into it." she smiled sweetly as she set her school robe down, and that seemed to calm him.
"Nah, you're right. This is important!" he said defiantly, shooting sparks out his wand.
"Try not to set anything on fire, mate," Sirius said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Wouldn't be very punk to burn down our base of operations, would it?"
"I think by definition, that might be the most punk," Remus pointed out, "but we don't have time for semantics. Lily, I thank you again for coming up with this bloody fantastic idea. Who's ready to Apparate?"
Sirius was gone before the question was over, and James followed. Remus looked from Lily to Peter before he was off with a loud "CRACK!" and Lily held out her arm. "Congrats on passing your test last month," she said, "but it's okay if you want to ride along. I lost half a nail my first time, it hurt like hell." Peter rubbed his pinky anxiously before taking her arm. "Thanks," he said quietly.
The other boys were on the other side of the Atrium statue. "Finally!" Sirius shouted, a cigarette between his teeth sending purple smoke up above his head. "Took you two long enough. So what exactly are we doing, again?"
Lily rolled her eyes. "You know what we're doing. You and Remus go start putting posters up—don't forget the charm that swells their hands up if they try and take them down—and Pete, start an attendance list. James and I—"
"—Will be snogging, thanks!" James interrupted, pulling her close.
By early morning, most of the Gryffindor 6th and 7th years were in the Atrium with them. Each student—as well as some sympathetic Ministry employees—was linked to the person next to them and the statue behind them with what looked like a shining white ribbon, that could only be cut if the wearer wanted it cut. The ribbon was Lily's invention, and she and Remus had spent days working out the details, including one whole afternoon that Sirius spent tied to a post on Remus's bed before they worked out how to cut him loose.
First the Ministry shut down Apparition into the Atrium, but people were still flooding in via Floo. Students as young as thirteen, Hogsmeade villagers, Ministry employees, shop owners... Then they shut the Floo down, but Alastor Moody reopened the Auror office's fireplace for "official business" and all the sudden more people were coming in, Disillusioned until they were tied to everyone else.
Lily stressed the strict non-violence policy to the newcomers as Peter took attendance, encouraging them to give up their wands. She taught them songs that Muggles used in protests, and by ten o'clock, when the only newcomers were those who could use family connections to get in the visitor's entrance, the group of over 50 was chanting peacefully while reporters circled like sharks.
As the cameras went off, Lily squeezed James' hand. "I have one last idea," she whispered, smiling wickedly.
When James turned to her, jaw set and eyes curious, she pulled him into the most salacious snog she could manage. The reporters and photographers lost their minds, and she could hear them falling over each other to get closer to them.
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat, spreading the morning's special edition of the Prophet on her office desk.
"Despite my spending the morning clearing your arrest records and apologizing to Minister Plunkett, the papers, and about two hundred angry owls," she said quietly, staring James and Lily half to death, "Despite you two—Head Boy and Girl, representative of my House as well as this entire institution—being the ringleaders of this complete circus," she continued, looking down at the paper, "You're not expelled."
Lily breathed a barely audible sigh of relief, but James kept his cool.
"In fact, Professor Dumbledore seems rather pleased with your antics."
James smirked and relaxed in the shoulders a bit.
"He's got an offer for you both, strictly for after you graduate," she emphasized, "and if this," she tapped menacingly on the moving image of their kiss on the front page of the paper, "is what you two want for your lives, I suggest you take it."
Lily looked at James, and they both looked at their Head of House.
"Absolutely—" Lily began.
"—we'll do it," James finished.