Inspired by my frustration with the unfinished (as of 2008) albeit full of potential True Love is Blind by glittery-snowflake, as well as the movies How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Disney's Beauty and the Beast. This is a conglomeration of every fanfiction I have ever loved. It's got faults, but don't we all. Enjoy.

Dedicated to the brilliant Lily and James fanfiction authors of the world, who keep HP alive and well in my heart.

CHAPTER ONE

Seven Secret Keepers

Only seven people in the world knew Lily Evans' true appearance.

The first being, of course, Lily Evans. People two, three, and four were her two parents and her eldest sister, Petunia, for obvious reasons. Inevitably, Cokeworth's resident young wizard and Lily's childhood friend, Severus Snape, became the fifth person to witness her auburn locks and captivating green eyes. He'd loved her the moment those eyes met his own.

Of course, there were far more people who'd seen her before the Charms and illusions—without these people, there'd be no reason for the disguise—but Lily didn't count acquaintances as part of her seven confidantes.

"Your daughter is so beautiful!" They'd say.

"Gorgeous!"

"She'll have no problem finding a decent bloke when she's of age." And Lily would smile pleasantly, hiding the chagrin she held for such superficiality. Petunia would grimace in budding jealousy for her younger sister.

Lily found this life quite boring and disgusting, at that.

The comments on her hair, eyes, and tiny figure were relentless. No one asked her opinion regarding the copy of Jane Eyre clutched in her tiny hand. No one ever challenged her intelligence or indulged her hunger for a proper conversation. Even Severus, with all his knowledge of magic, preferred to dote on Lily's every need purely out of admiration for her stunning looks. He didn't understand when Lily cried out one afternoon, what good was magic if it couldn't hide her appearance from the world?

When a man with a long white beard and tall, coned hat covered in shooting stars showed up at her front door one afternoon in late August with a letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry addressed to Lily Evans, Cokeworth , he became the sixth secret keeper.

She sat patiently as he explained magic to her shocked parents. After bewitching their kettle into a hare and back again, Lily spoke.

"Excuse me, sir –"

"Professor Dumbledore will suffice, my dear," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled behind half-moon spectacles seated halfway down his crooked nose. Lily nodded, impatient now.

"Professor Dumbledore. If I were to attend Hogwarts, I'd like to change my appearance." Her parents shifted uncomfortably at this statement; it was one thing to learn their little girl was a witch, another entirely to learn she wished to completely change her appearance.

Petunia glanced uneasily between the old professor and the kettle. Lily clenched her jaw in determination.

"Why do you wish this, Miss Evans?" Lily explained her predicament. "Certainly, there are charms we can use to alter your appearance. Charms deteriorate, however, and thus the illusion would need to be performed each morning—"

"It's worth it," Lily interjected. "With all due respect, professor, I'm already starting off on a lower step than others at Hogwarts by growing up outside your world. All anyone does is compliment me on my hair, or," she grasped her head, "or my face of all things! I want to be taken seriously for once in my life."

Dumbledore studied her, the twinkle brightening. A star fell from his hat, breaking the space briefly before it disappeared.

"It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be, Miss Evans. I'm afraid I have said this many times before, as old men do, but I feel it is more relevant now than in classic circumstances. You would do well to remember this."

And so for the first time in her life, Lily swelled with hope. She was going to Hogwarts to learn – without her looks to detract from her true self – how to be a witch.

Six Years Later

"Get up, witch, or we'll be late for potions."

Lily groaned and, against her and her dormmates' better judgment, flopped over in her comfy four-poster bed in Gryffindor tower. Suddenly and without warning, her pillow disappeared from beneath her head and reappeared rather forcefully atop it.

"Bloody hell, Dorcas!" She was awake now, much to the pleasure of her grinning best mate.

"Tsk tsk, you've an ugly mouth for such a pretty girl, Miss Evans!"

Dorcas Meadowes was the seventh, and final, person to discover Lily's secret. Back in third year, she'd slept well past her usual alarm and witnessed the daily ritual.

"I think you're doing it wrong," she'd said as Lily dulled her crimson curls to a mousey brown. Lily had spun around, wand trained on a groggy albeit wide-eyed Dorcas. "Aren't beautifying charms supposed to, y'know, beautify you?"

Lily had been so cross with herself for her stupidity that she forgot her pre-recited excuse. Dorcas picked up on her distress.

"I won't tell anyone, swear," she held a hand over her heart. "But blimey, Evans, why? "

That's the thing with deep, dark secrets: once a person knows them, they're in your life for good.

"Bugger off. Pretty girls are allowed three curse words a day, didn't you know?"

"You've nearly met your quota then, haven't you?"

Lily threw a pillow at her best mate, who laughed evilly when she caught it. "Better get ready, we really do have potions."

"Pish posh, Slughorn thinks I'm brilliant," Lily's voice muffled as she pulled on a blouse. Dorcas scoffed.

"He may think you're brilliant, but my dumb arse forgot everything about that blasted Law-"

"Golpalott's?" Lily offered as she steadied her wand on her red hair.

"That's the one. Ol' Sluggy gave my essay a T-"

"You're joking, Troll is a myth!" Lily pulled on her robes and grabbed her book bag from beside the door.

Dorcas placed a hand over the Gryffindor crest on her heart, "Swear to Merlin's saggy you-know-whats-"

"Not that I'll believe you any more for that oath."

"-I, Dorcas Meadowes, have received a T at Hogwarts. Woe be to me, my family, and my future kin."

Lily rolled her eyes, now dulled by a charm. Tugging Dorcas' arm from her pledge, she opened the door. "C'mon, or you'll get another T."

No one spared Lily a glance as she and Dorcas entered the dungeon. She'd grown content in the lack of attention afforded her way at Hogwarts. Next to the dark curls, chestnut-toned skin, and tall figure of her best mate, the new and improved Lily didn't stand a chance. Not that Dorcas allowed anyone other than Lily into her life. For all anyone else knew, the two girls were distant relatives – there were no other explanations for the brunette beauty's adoption of plain-Jane Lily Evans as friend for life.

Just as Slughorn approached the blackboard to begin the lesson, two boys burst through the door at the back of the dungeon.

"So sorry, professor," the taller, bespectacled boy of the pair called. "Lupin gave us the slip this morning, forgot to wake us." The boy in question chose this moment to rest his dirty blonde head upon his desk and groan quietly.

"Ah Moony, forever the forgetful Marauder," the other added.

"Gentlemen, sit, sit," Slughorn waved his hand at the table in front of Lily and Dorcas. Lily fought the urge to roll her eyes as Potter and Black strode to their seats.

As Slughorn began his lecture on the Elixir to Induce Euphoria, Black swiveled to face Dorcas, who was reading the latest Witch Weekly.

"Alright, Meadowes?" Sirius flirted just loud enough for Lily to hear as she scribbled notes.

"Bugger off, Black," Dorcas didn't even spare him a glance as she flipped a page.

"You, me, and the Three Broomsticks on Saturday. What d'you say, love?" Dorcas sighed and looked up from her magazine.

"Sirius Black," She said sweetly, reaching forward and running a finger along Sirius' prominent jawline. "How'd you know it was my dream to share a pint with you?" Sirius closed his dark eyes at her touch and let out a low growl of pleasure.

"Really?"

"No, you prat." Lily let out a guffaw, quickly turning it into a cough as Sirius glared at her. Dorcas thumped her on the back. At this point, James turned to join his partner in crime.

"What's crawled up your arse and died today, Meadowes?" He smirked, running a hand through his messy, black hair. Lily frowned.

"You wish, Potter," Dorcas replied cheekily, returning to Witch Weekly. Lily fought the urge to laugh again as Potter and Black glanced at each other, clearly miffed at her best mate's disinterest.

That was one of Lily's favorite things about Dorcas: her power to dismantle toxic masculinity at the turn of a phrase whilst simultaneously engaging in a magazine that prized itself on petty, sexist gossip. She was Elizabeth Bennet, and boys were varying versions of Mr. Collins. It was talent, really.

"C'mon," Sirius had decided to persist, it seemed. He was playing with fire. "We can double team it; you can come with me and Prongs here'll take your mate." 'Prongs' did not appear to have agreed with this idea, as his mouth opened to protest. Lily noticed this and turned her focus back to Slughorn's lecture. She very nearly missed the next part.

"Okay, fine," Dorcas whispered pointedly at Sirius, who grinned victoriously. "But you've got to do one thing for me, Black."

"Anything."

Dorcas smirked and her eyes darkened slightly. "Tell me my best mate's name."

Lily's quill froze in the middle of ' Crush sopophorous beans.'

"And no help from Lupin or Pettigrew," Dorcas quickly added at Black's glance toward the third and fourth mates in their band of merry men. Black was openly staring at Lily now, as if willing the answer to erupt from her. James looked as if he wished it would stay buried.

Sirius opened his mouth and then paused, as if reconsidering, before saying, "Arabella Figg?"

Several things happened in reaction to this statement.

First, Dorcas Meadowes raised a hand as if to slap Sirius Black senseless. At the same time, Black yelped and fell from his stool, which elicited a, "Come now!" from Professor Slughorn. James Potter, who had a bit more sense than his best friend, moved to pull his wand from his sleeve. Their classmates, now focused on this dispute, braced themselves for the brawl.

But before anyone could do anything, Lily spoke.

"You absolute twats," her voice was dangerously low. All eyes flicked instantly to the plain girl, now standing and clutching her notes, ink staining her shaking hands.

She couldn't believe it - they were Gryffindors. Yes, she'd hidden her true appearance from all but seven people. Yes, she hadn't made an ounce of effort in her social life. And yeah, she'd only uttered words in passing at the two boys at supper and during lessons. It hurt something buried in Lily to know that her own Housemates did not know her name. I want to be taken seriously for once in my life , she'd told Dumbledore.

"We were sorted on the same night, we've celebrated quidditch together, I'm your bloody prefect!" The boys' eyes flew to the badge on her chest. Lily snorted in derision. "Chivalry and courage, my arse."

Dorcas' outrage was dulled only from a mix of shock and the desire to laugh at Lily's outburst. Black appeared sheepish and Potter looked as if Meadowes actually had slapped him across the face.

Lily then turned to Dorcas and said evenly, "Reckon I've met my quota of curses for the day."

She held nothing back, laughing merrily as Lily grabbed her book bag and stormed from the dungeon.