Disclaimer: Any reference to Harry Potter characters or Hogwarts belongs to J.K. Rowling.
"We move on, put those dreams away
Hoping that we'll find them, come some rainy day . . .
How could I know that everything would change
Except the way I miss you come some rainy day."
-Wynona Judd, Come Some Rainy Day
Once the Music Stops
He knew she would dance on long before the music played...
And he heard the music long before he knew whom it was...
Lily Evans was 14 years old. In exactly one week she would be 15. She couldn't wait. She had the most wonderful group of friends. In fact she couldn't be happier. Life was going great for her and in just oneand a half weeks she would have an excuse to celebrate.
" Hey earth to LILY!" Shouted James.
" Sorry James" Lily blushed. Her friends often caught her daydreaming and were very apt to tease her about it.
" I was trying to ask you if you were coming to Hogsmede with us." Repeated James.
" In the rain?" Asked Lily skeptically. She sized up the two sets of puppy eyes being flashed her way. "Wait, where's Sirius?" Asked Lily.
" Detention." Frowned Remus.
" And James doesn't have it as well! This is a first!" Teased Lily.
" Are you coming or not?" Asked James.
" Oh yeah I'd..." Julie came up and quickly cut her off.
"James you prat, how are we going to get Lily's Birthday present if she's with us?" Julie said. Lily blushed.
" You guys don't have to get me anything!" She insisted. They all gave her looks as if she were nuts.
" Sorry Lily but we ARE getting you something which means you'll have to stay here," replied Remus. " But don't worry," He added. "Sirius should be out of detention in an hour or so and on our way out I'll let him know that you're staying here." Lily had wanted to go to Hogsmede with the others but being alone in the comfy castle on a cold rainy day would have it's advantages. As the others headed out the portrait hole Lily headed back up to her dormitory. She sat down on her bed and reached for the book she had been reading. As she did so her hand brushed the leather bound photo album she had sitting on the shelf. She was soon flipping through the pages with a warm cup of tea provided byEllie her favorite house elf. She laughed at all the wonderful pictures of her and her friends throughout the years they had spent at Hogwarts together. She especiallylaughed at a picture of Sirius and James hanging upside down in a tree that was in Julie's backyard. As she flipped through the album memories came flooding back and Lily decided to clean out the space under the bed to see what other things she could come up with.
Lily had a great time getting lost in the memories under her bed. She pushed aside a pink duffel bagand found a shoebox full of notes and letters from her family and friends. She also found a manila folder full of cards and invitations. There was a particularly funny invitation to Sirius' 11th Birthday party, it was a picture of a frog and when you touched its tummy it said "Have a Hopping time at my House." "Sirius was so corny." Lily thought to herself. Lily let herself get lost in the things beneath her bed. As she was reaching for a small pink duffel bag towards the back there was a knock on her door. She stood up, dusted herself off, and decided to leave the rest for later. She opened the door to a red-cheeked bright-eyed Sirius.
"Hallo." He said cheerfully. "Are you ready?" He asked slyly.
" Ready for what!" Asked Lily knowing she was somehow setting herself up.
" Ready to spend the whole afternoon with the most handsome guy in Hogwarts!" He exclaimed as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"O yay!" Exclaimed Lily.
" I knew you'd be excited." Said Sirius.
"Well I wasn't expecting James back so soon of course I'm excited." Teased Lily.
" What?" Asked Sirius confused.
" Well you said the most handsome guy in Hogwarts..." She let her voice trail off.
" Oh ha ha very funny...not." Said Sirius and he pretending to be deeply offended by her response.
" Oh shut up you ninny and escort me to lunch." They both laughed and Sirius escorted her to lunch after first bowing and then making a big deal of linking elbows with her. The two of them enjoyed a nice lunch of hot soup, perfect for a rainy day. Afterwards they played chess upstairs in front of the common room fire and enjoyed the soothing sound of raindrops hitting the castle roof. At around 3 Lily decided to go back to her cleaning and Sirius came upstairs to keep her company. He fell asleep looking at a photo album. Lily re-encountered the pink duffle bag she had put aside earlier. Puzzled she slowly unzipped it. A mixed feeling of recognition and pain consumed her. Inside she found a pink pair of petite ballet slippers. A very distinct memory came flooding back.
"Ms. Evans, we are sorry to inform you that your mother and sister did not make it. Your father and older sister will be here as soon as we can locate them."
It had been the day that her mother and her little sister Anne had died. Tears formed in her eyes but she would not let them fall. More memories came back. Lily's heart felt 20 pounds heavier. It would be three years this May. She had come home from Hogwarts with special permission because she had a ballet audition. Anne had had one the same day at a different studio so her mom had to rush to make both... only she never made it to Lily's.
" You promised you'd come, though." Said a 12 year old Lily disappointedly.
" I'll try honey, as soon as Anne is done with her audition I will rush as fast as I can to yours." Her mother said soothingly."
" I'm so proud of you Lil." Anne said smiling at her big sister.
"I'm proud of you too Anna Banana" she smiled.
They had been rushing and they didn'tnotice the car swerving ahead of them. Thedriver that hitthemhad been drunk and he smashed into them head on. They were rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead on arrival.
Lilyhad had to hear the bad news alone in the ER because her father had been picking Petunia up from college in the United States. There was no one there to hold her and tell her that it wasn't her fault. She had come back to Hogwarts in shock. Unable to tell her friends she talked to Dumbledore in private.
"...Oh no sir, I won't be dancing anymore," Said Lily casting her eyes to the floor. "It just wouldn't be right."
" I see." He said. " You may change your mind in time."
" Oh no sir...but thank you." With that she left and he didn't try and stop her.
Lily sat heavily on the ground. There was no way the shoes would fit her now anyway and she couldn't return to such a dangerous thing. She had been so selfish. Her stupid complaining had cost her kind, tender, devoted, mother and her loving, sweet, younger sister their lives. A letter and a little box were also in the duffle bag.
Three weeks later a letter had come addressed to Anne. It was from the Julliard's children summer dance program. Anne had been accepted to one of the best dance programs in the world for children her age and she could not go. She would never dance again. Lily had been the one to open the letter, and the one to inform them she could not attend.
Lily's hands brushed over the lid of the box. She knew what was in it. It had been a worn out pair of pink ballet shoes. They were even smaller then her own, for they had belonged to Anne. The nurse had looked at her strangely at first when she asked for them but she kindly obliged. Now Lily was unable to open the box.
Lily put everything back into the bag exactly how she had left it three years ago. Lily gently placed the bag in the back of the space under her bed and gently shook Sirius awake. The two of them went down to the common room where they had told the others they would meet them at around 5:30. Lily made sure that hereyes weren't red and she put on an unnaturally big smile that did not reach her eyes. When the others arrived though none of them noticed...or so she thought. After they had shared with them the things that they had bought in Hogsmede and they had all played a nice couple of games of exploading snap they decided to head down to dinner. Sirius held Lily back before joining the rest.
" Hey Lily, did I miss something? Are you ok?" He asked concerned.
" Of course I am." She lied. "Why wouldn't I be?" And she with that she slipped out of the portrait hole to avoid further inquiries from Sirius.
A/N: Okay so that's all there is at this moment. Who are the two "he's" at the beginning? And more importantly, will Lily return to dance? If so who will help her along the way? Please read and review and let me know what you think...should I continue this? Well of course I'll continue.. but would you like to see it posted? if you like email me...