This is a story I wrote like two years ago that I'm now revising. The plot is basically the same, in fact the whole thing is tbh, except the character of Mary has been replaced with Alice (soon to be longbottom) so ya. Here u go.


Chapter 1: Nothing But a Mudblood

The sunlight beat down upon the pale walls of semi-detached house residing in a quiet area of northern England. This house was entirely ordinary, a rather neat little garden attached to a patio. Compact but pleasant with the sweetly designed living room and slightly decrepit with its peeling paint and appliances that always seem to be on the fritz.

All together completely normal, no one would look at it and believe anything extraordinary would be happening. And they would be utterly right.

For it wasn't the events that made it extraordinary: it was the people.

Curled up on the bed in the smallest bedroom in that very house was Miss Lily Marie Evans. And she was the most extraordinary person you could think of, but she didn't know that yet. In fact, Lily Evans felt herself to be quite average, about from the teeny tiny fact that she was a witch.

A witch who was currently reading the same letter over and over again in the hopes that the small knot of guilt in the pit of her stomach would subside: she was having no such luck yet.

Dear Lily,

I miss you. And I know I've said that before and I know you said it doesn't make a difference but I do. I really do, and you not caring doesn't make any difference.

I'm sorry. And I've said that before and I know you said it doesn't make a difference. You not caring makes it hurt more. Because I am sorry Lils, more than you know.

But what you do know is that I didn't mean it. I don't think that, come on Lily! You know that I could never think that. It was just, just. Just bloody Potter and his arsey mates forced me to. Their bullying brought me to the edge.

Blame Potter for this if you want to, that bloody arrogant self loving face shoved up his own arse twat ponce pratty little git. You know that I love you Lily, we're best friends. I know you're mad. I know nothing makes a difference. But I just want it to. Why can't it LIls? Why can't you let it?

Please write back, just, just to let me know you're okay. You can't hate me forever Lily, I know you can't.

Sev,

Each time she read the letter she could feel the fresh wave of tears ready to come and pull her under. Each time she read it she was back there, with the sun beating down on her as she watched her best friend destroy their relationship. All by calling her a mudblood.

That word, it echoed in her brain. Mudblood. Mudblood. She was nothing but stinking, filthy mudblood.

Suddenly, it was like the switch for anger had suddenly been turned on in her brain, her heart beat so fast it filled her ears and her pain thrived on the sound of it

She grabbed a nearby piece of parchment and quill, the anger masking the guilt that churned in the pit of her stomach as she wrote.

Severus,

You're right Severus, it doesn't make a difference and it can't. Nobody forced you to say what you said. It can't and won't make a difference Sev, no matter how hard you try.

You chose your path, now I'm choosing mine.

Please stop writing, next time I won't reply.

Lily.

Before she could stop and over-think it, she grabbed her owl Isis and attached the note. Knowing that whatever consequences it brought she would be ready.

And boy did it bring consequences, but more on that later.

{}

James Potter was another of those extraordinary people, and he knew it. Maybe he didn't know quite to what extent he was extraordinary, had no idea what part he would play in shaping the future. But he knew he had a part to play, and that's what mattered.

"Sirius I don't understand your fixation on going to that bloody party." Said James, lazily watching the snitch in his hand struggle feebly.

"Because I don't want to sit around miserable for the rest of the summer like you all seem content to." He gestured towards the rest of the marauders, all in various slumped states in James's bedroom.

"You know the real reason James doesn't want to go Padfoot." Remus interjected, looking pointedly at James moody face as he tossed the snitch up and down.

"Not Lily again Prongs." Groaned Sirius, "If we go we can make sure she never even knows we're there." A calculated look graced his face, a look that never meant anything good with Sirius.

"Wow Sirius, you've never sounded more like a creepy, perverted serial killer." Remus joked, looking up from the book he wasn't really reading.

"What?" Sirius protested, "It's for her and his own good."

"That's what a serial killer would say."

"I am not a serial killer!"

"That's what a-"But before Remus could finish his sentence and large projectile flew into his face.

"Well in Padfoot." Chuckled Peter, lounging in the corner of the room.

Remus glared at him and picked up two cushions nearby, flinging one at Peter and Sirius. Peter laughed, deflecting the cushion with his arm. Sirius used his quick skills as a Quidditch player to catch the cushion, but instead of flinging it at Remus (which was expected) he placed it next to him and gave a mischievous grin.

"Ladies, Ladies! Please let us return to the problem at hand, James's refusal to party with us." Sirius dramatically swept his hand across the scene, and glared at James, waiting for his response.

"It has nothing to do with Evans!" Sighed James, removing his gaze from the snitch and shoving it in his pocket. "Those parties are just so, so... Juvenile!"

"Oooohhh Juvenile, it seems Prongs has outgrown us Padfoot." Cried Peter.

"Ickle-Jamesie poo is too mature for little old us!" Sirius laughed.

"Oh shut up," James replied, sitting up from his slouched position. "I don't want to go and that's final. Now who wants a game of Quidditch?"

{}

"Please shut up." Lily sighed, not bothering to look up from the battered paperback she was perusing.

"But I didn't say anything." Ana protested, widening her eyes for emphasis and gesturing wildly with her hands.

"But you were about to." Lily elaborated, looking up from her book with a look of long suffering plastered across her face.

"Listen Lily," Ana began, slowly as if she was testing the waters.

"I told you before I don't want to go." Lily interrupted, the book now discarded at her side.

"Oh come on Lil, live a little."

I do not count Natalie Clarke's End of Summer party as living." Each word dripped with sarcasm.

"Fine." Ana pouted, and for one short, victorious second Lily thought she had won. "We'll put it down to a vote."

"Aw Ana, no." Lily whined, "I don't want Alice to just side with you"

"Well despite the fact that you and Alice are scarily similar I happen to know that she's been going crazy visiting her Aunt Agatha and insane cousins.'"

"I don't know how she stands them." The redhead admitted.

"And I don't know how you stand your toad of a sister. I mean Merlin knows I would have cracked by now." Ana sighed, flopping down onto the bed next to her.

"She's not always that bad." Lily allowed, looking down at her hands as she thought about her difficult sister. "Just with the wedding planning and all, she's gone a little crazy."

"If that's what you call a little crazy, I don't wanna know what majorly crazy is." Came a voice from the doorway.

"Alice!" Ana cried, springing from the bed to attack the girl with a gigantic hug.

"Well I realise you missed me but geez." Alice said, wriggling out of the brunette's firm grip, pausing only to flash them both a sparkling grin. "Seriously ready to hang out with you guys and forget about the awful summer I've had."

Ana flashed a triumphant smile at Lily, clearly thinking Alice would be down for the party, who just rolled her eyes right back. "So, what's up?"

"You do not want to spend longer than five seconds with my family." Alice began "I mean, I love my mum and dad but that's about it. I had to spend the whole time listening to my dear aunty about how I'd get all the boys if I would just loose a couple of pounds. Then I made the mistake of talking about school and wanting to be an Auror so of course Aunty started going on about me having my priorities all wrong and why couldn't I just find a rich husband and settle down and blah blah blah. "

"Doesn't you're aunty weigh like millions of pounds?" Asked Ana.

"Exactly." Alice said, "And ugly as a toad. Just because she had no aspirations when she was younger doesn't mean I shouldn't. And of course she goes on about that nice young Longbottom fellow no matter how many times I tell her we're just friends."

Lily and Ana exchanged looks at the mention of Frank but didn't say anything.

"Please," Lily scoffed. "You're aunt just trying to live vicariously through you, because you're gorgeous and young and she's an ugly, old hag."

"I suppose." Alice conceded, not sounding entirely convinced.

"Who cares?" Ana cried, jumping up from the bed in excitement. "Tonight we are going to get hammered and then dance and find ourselves some sexy boys to pay us some well-deserved attention."

"At Natalie's?" Alice asked, when Ana nodded enthusiastically Alice smiled a little. "I guess it won't do any harm to go and have some fun.

"Eurgh, Marlene hasn't arrived yet so we'll see. I really don't want to go guys, okay?" Lily said dejectedly.

And that was that. For now.

{}

James stepped into the bathroom, his muscles giving off a satisfying ache from the Quidditch work out. He flexed his arm, relishing in the tense feeling he found there. Usually he felt a euphoric afterglow when he'd done exercise, but he'd been in a foul mood all summer.

Though he'd refused to admit it to Sirius, it was partially (mostly) due to a certain fiery redhead he'd been in love with since forever.

It wasn't unusual for Lily to scream at him, or shout at him or put him down. In fact, it was a normal occurrence for Lily to turn him down as much as once a day. But, he couldn't stop replaying it over and over and over in his mind.

He could almost hear Lily in his head, shouting him down, her wand pointed directly at him. He couldn't work out what made this time so different, what made each word she'd said reverberate in her mind. "I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid,"

Really, it was nothing she hadn't said before, but each time he could write it up some force that he couldn't control. It was always something else: Lily being stubborn, Lily being conceited, the Marauders messing it up or Lily's relationship with Snivellus.

This time, he didn't feel like he could blame it on outside forces. Of course, normally he would blame Snape for Lily's brutal rejection. And he was mad at Snape, just the very mention of his name sent his blood boiling as he recalled the look on Lily's face when he had... had said – that.

But some part of him had to accept that her rejection wasn't entirely Snape's fault. That, in some way, it might be James's.

He closed his eyes, watching the scene replay once more, trying to see what was so different about Lily in that moment. And suddenly, he had it. Her green eyes, shinning with anger, beautiful in her anger, they really meant was she was saying. All those other times, she had told him she hated him, there was always a little part of her that didn't really.

But as she had glared at him, the light filtering through the tree and making her more devastatingly beautiful that James would like to admit, he could see in her eyes that she hated him with every fibre of her being.

And it was entirely his fault.

"Prongs." Called Peter from the other side of the bathroom door. "Get your shower quickly! Sirius is intent on this party James. We're going."

"Eugh." James moaned, running a hand through his sweat dampened hair.

He dreaded the party; he dreaded the chance that he would have to see Lily again. He knew he shouldn't let someone dictate what he did, but he was not ready to deal with her judgemental gaze again.

Still, something seemed to draw him to the party. Like a deluded moth to a flame, he was drawn towards her, he wanted to see her. He knew that no matter how much he moaned to Padfoot, he would go. He would go and simultaneous avoid and look for that flame.

"Hurry up James!" Sirius moaned through the door.

That was that. He was going to the party and it was going to be hell.

{}

Marlene Wright was lying on the end of her bed, knowing that she was going to be late to meeting her friends and not really caring. A small, creased photograph was being neatened and then crumpled over and over in the palm of her small hand.

It was an ordinary muggle photograph, filled with creases that would never been undone from weeks of opening and folding it. It was made of thick, creamy paper. Obviously high quality. It was fairly old too, but any remnants of dust were none gone from it as Marlene stared the solitary image.

She'd been doing the same thing for many nights on end, and it didn't seem like it was going to stop anytime soon.

A little girl, with straight sleek blonde hair smiled brightly at the camera in only the way little kids can. She had her short, arms wrapped around of a taller, slightly sheepish looking boy. They must have been around the same age, maybe he was a year older; he looked down at the girl with obvious admiration in his dark brown eyes. They looked happy, young and carefree. The epitome of childhood sweethearts.

Marlene sighed, shoving the photograph in her pocket for the five hundredth time that night. She could hear the pitter patter of her little half brother and sister and closed her eyes, hoping that if she wished hard enough they would just leave her alone.

Though she only saw them when she returned home for the holidays she felt an intense dislike for her two younger siblings, she knew of course that she was being somewhat irrational. Really, she disliked them because she disliked her stepfather. And no wonder.

Her own father had left them when she was just a baby, leaving her muggle mum and her alone. So it had of course come as a shock when Marlene received her Hogwarts letter. That was where the real trouble with her stepdad lay. He had not been very accepting that Marlene was a witch. At first he convinced her mum to hide the letter from Marlene, a very astute kid Marlene knew something was up.

Eventually they had a visit from a teacher, concerned that they hadn't acknowledge the letter or set a date for a talk with a professor. It was Professor McGonagall that came, which ensured that Marlene had a soft spot for the transfiguration teacher and head of house.

Her stepfather however, had felt a little differently.

After McGonagall had proven she was a witch by turning into a cat and back, then transfiguring a nearby cushion into a rabbit, things had gone downhill. Her stepdad had threatened to set her on fire and see if she burned at the stake. It went entirely out of hand and ended with Marlene being thrown into her room and barricaded in. That would go on to be The Worst Night of Her Life. Until the real Worst Night of Her Life.

Finally, her mum won the long, weary battle and Marlene was to be sent to Hogwarts with no expense spared for her trip. Her stepfather had to agree, after all, her mum was pregnant with the twins. They couldn't have a witch in the house. She still remembered what he'd said to her: the night before she'd left for her first year.

(Midnight)

Marlene had been having trouble sleeping, tossing and turning inside the thin fabric as thoughts about the next day overwhelmed her. She cracked open an eye, watching the moonlight filter in through the chinks in her blind. The look of it soothed her, as she drifted off thinking about silver and magic and the deep night sky.

It must only have been a few minutes later, or maybe hours, when she felt a rough hand shaking her awake. She flinched away, gasping as she woke up with the hand still gripped tight around her forearm.

"Wake up." The man hissed, jerking her arm harshly

"I'm awake." Marlene whispered back, trying to scoot further away from the man she was forced to call dad.

"Listen to me." His voice was low and urgent, his eyes darting around as if looking for someone to catch him out. "Your mother might be okay with you, but I am not."

Marlene simply blinked at him, too scared to reply.

"I'm telling you this right now young lady. Whoever you are, you are not a member of my family. You, you—you are – a creature! And I do not want you in my house. You stay away from my family and I will stay away from you." He tightened his grip on her arm, pulling her upwards so she was forced to look him in the eye. "Got it?"

"Yes." Marlene whimpered, hating the feeling of helplessness that washed over her.

"You'll be spending all your holidays there right. And don't talk to your mother about this, this is our secret."

"Our secret." She agreed, anything to get him to leave her alone.

The worst thing about it was how much she could see that he really believed it. He believed that she was some sort of monster; there was no doubt in his mind that she was a threat to his family that needed to be controlled. That's what hurt the most; he thought he knew the truth, but he was so deluded. It was almost too much for eleven year old Marlene to handle.

And from that day onwards she viewed Hogwarts as her chance to escape, spending Christmas in the great hall or sometimes with her friends, but never at home. As the years went by her mother learned to not beg and plead and ask for Marlene to come home to visit. The twins grew up and required more and more of her attention, so Marlene learned to slip in and out of the home as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Unfortunately, summer holidays were sort of unavoidable. Occasionally she spent time a Lily's, but Petunia had been ramping up the wedding plans which made it extremely uncomfortable to be in the same household as that manic wizard-hating muggle. There was Ana too, but Ana had that crazy mother. Besides, Marlene and Ana tended to clash quite a lot: especially without Lily to diffuse the situation. Alice's was nice to stay at but quite cramped and that summer she'd been off visiting an array of relatives.

So here she was, trying to pretend she was somewhere else. Somewhere happier. Somewhere inside that torn photograph resting inside her pockets. Closing her eyes, she let the memory of when she received the photograph wash over her.

(One Month Previous)

Marlene lay on her bed, bored and exhausted but for what reason she could not say. The warm weather always seemed to make her languid, and currently all she felt prepared for was to lounge in the sun. A transfiguration book lay open at her side, lazily she read through a few passages. Her mind was not focusing on the task at hand, which was unusual as Marlene was a bit of a control freak when it came to studies. Something was holding her back that day, so all she could do is flick through a couple of pages. The words just washing over her.

"Marlene, there's someone here to see you." Her mother called, sounding very harassed which surely meant she was wrestling with one of the twins. "Stop it Jade! You too Jacob!"

Surprised at the unexpected visitor Marlene sat up, assuming it was just Lily or Alice or maybe even Ana there to visit. She wasn't even sure whether or not they made plans and she had simple forgotten about them. Therefore she made no effort to hide her wizarding books or the quills, or even the half eaten box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans on her bedside table.

But it wasn't Alice or Lily or even Ana.

He knocked on the door first, but didn't wait for a response before bounding in. He was a tall boy, around the same age as Marlene, but he was long and lanky with dark auburn hair and a small smattering of freckles across his nose. His eyes were deep brown and twinkling at her now, his mouth sliding into an easy grin; it was the sort of face that looked like it was made for smiling or laughing.

"Remember me Marley?" He asked, his voice light and carefree.

She sat there in shock for a few seconds, before scrambling to shove her books and quills down the bed and out of sight, her eyes darted around to see if any clues to her other life was evident but it was too late now anyway. And she couldn't see anything too obvious. Satisfied she leaped off the bed and ran to give the new arrival and huge hug.

"I can't believe it! Charlie!" She cried, laughing as he hugged her back fiercely.

"It's great to see you again Marley." He said, utterly sincerely as she stepped backwards.

"You know, no one calls me Marley anymore." Marlene said, the first genuine smile on her face since the summer holidays had began.

"And nobody calls me Charlie!" He exclaimed, his entire face was alive with energy.

"Really?" She replied, cocking an eyebrow.

"Well maybe I lied." He admitted, shrugging with his entire body. "But who cares eh Marley?"

"It's Marlene. Thank you very much."

"Old habits die hard." He joked, sticking a hand in his pocket. "So how is boarding school?"

Marlene coughed to hide the awkwardness that just materialised, this was the sort of conversation she was dreading."It's erm—Yanno... School. Except i live there! Haha, erm- Good friends though... Stil, schools school. Oh er- I already said that."

He gave an odd smirk at her but his easy nature meant he ignored the strange answer and weird tension in the air and persevered. "Well, we haven't seen each other since... Well, since we were about ten wasn't it?"

"Must have been." Marlene conceded.

"I've missed you Mar." He smiled, lolloping across her bed. "We were best friends."

"I know." She sighed, moving to sit next to him. "But with school. And I never really come home."

"Hmm." He nodded, picking up the open carton and popping a jelly bean in his mouth. He spat it out, spluttering as he tried to scrape the taste from his mouth. "Jeez, they really mean every flavour."

"Ha. Ha." Marlene laughed rather stiltedly, the panic welling in her chest. "Yes er- they're- ermm. They're joke sweets! That's right, joke sweets! Me and my friends get a kick out of them."

"Just as odd now as you were then!" He laughed, throwing a bean at her.

"Was there a reason you turned up today?" Marlene asked, deflecting the bean and shooting him a look of mock annoyance.

"There was actually." He said, lighting up like he'd just remembered something. He wiggled his hands inside his jean pockets, pulling out a few sheets of paper and a worn photograph. "Mum was cleaning out the loft and found some of our old rubbish." He shrugged like her opinion on it might not matter to him. "Just some letters and a photo. Remember Marley, sorry, Marlene. When we used to give letters to our parents to pass to each other. As if we couldn't just have knocked at each other's houses."

"Course I remember you prat." She sighed, grabbing the paper and photo and whacking him with it.

"Ooof." He cried, "You really know how to hit a man where it hurts Wright."

"You thought that hurt Charlie? You're weaker than I thought."

"Never!" He shouted, standing up and running across to Marlene and attack hugging her.

"Get off!" She cried, laughing too and shoving him. So much like old times.

"Alright. Alright." He said, putting his hands up as a form of surrender. "I er, actually have to go."

"Oh right." Marlene said, suddenly awkward and flustered.

"You know, packing for holidays and family duty." He shrugged, but suddenly the atmosphere had changed dramatically.

"Of course." She said. "Bye Charlie."

He reached out for a hug, and she smiled softly, reaching forward to hug him back. She inhaled his familiar scent, so different yet so similar. Marveling at the softness of his tshirt, she felt someplace in her heart ache as she recognised the ease of their relationship was gone. Here was a boy she hadn't seen for many years, and she couldn't even tell him the truth. There was no future in a friendship with muggles. She had to let him go.

"Bye Charlie." She said again.

"Bye Marley." He replied. "I'll see you soon, yeah?" When I'm back?"

"Maybe." She smiled, a little wistfully.

And with one last wink and a hug: he was gone.

She'd opened the little bundle of papers he'd left a little later, old remnants from their childhood stared back at her. Her were the letters he'd been talking about, childish scribbles about imaginary adventures and when they'd meet to play next. She hadn't thought about Charlie in a long time, but from that day forward she couldn't think of anything but. Best friends they'd been. She couldn't even get through one conversation with him without her being a witch forming a barrier of awkward. Without her heart constricting in panic that she would be caught.

For that day forward, there was a decree laid down in the Wright household. Charlie McKinnon was not allowed inside the house, any excuse in the book was to be used to ensure that Marlene was to be left alone. Her stepdad was more than happy to oblige, thinking the less contact Marlene had with "normal" people the less likely she was to harm them. She rolled her eyes at that, but for once was grateful that his insane prejudices were working to her advantage.

Sighing she rolled of the bed, feeling the photographs presence burning in her pocket. She may have accepted that they couldn't be friends, but she was clinging to a past relationship they'd once had. A time when she wasn't bound by what she was. She looked at the clock on the wall, noting that she was going to be quite late arriving at Ana's. Shaking herself from her foul mood, she grabbed her things. She knew that things would only get worse the longer she waited; she fled the house avoiding contact with the rest of the family. Slowly she made her way along the street to an old witch's house where she knew she could flew to Ana's.

Her mind was occupied with other thoughts. Thoughts of boys, first kisses, playing outside and an old, worn photograph in her back pocket.

{}

When James emerged from his shower, his hair messier than usual with each strand standing up in eight different directions, he found his friends eating toast at the kitchen table with his mother.

"Mrs Potter, may I say you're toast is absolutely divine!" Sirius cried dramatically, shoving another piece in his mouth.

"For the last time Sirius, you're practically my son, just call me Evelyn. Or even Eve." She smiled warmly. "That goes for all of you."

"Thanks Mrs P—I mean Evelyn." Peter said, grabbing some more food too.

James swung in a grabbed himself some too, before it all disappeared down either Sirius or Peter's throat.

"Hello James." His mum said, reaching over to ruffle his hair.

"Gerroff." James scowled, ducking out of her touch and then grinning, munching on the crust in victory.

"Manners, James." His mum trilled.

He stuck his tongue out playfully at her and she smiled, knowing she should probably reprimand him but knowing that she wouldn't. "So what's this I hear about you going to a party?"

James's entire expression dropped immediately, as he turned his glare at Sirius who just shrugged innocently. "Forced to go to a party." He corrected grudgingly.

"Knew you'd come around Prongs." Pete said, clapping him on the back.

James simply growled and turned his attention back to the piece of toast he was munching on.

"Well don't get too drunk." Evelyn Potter chided.

"Muuummmm." James moaned, "We aren't going to get drunk, we're only sixteen."

"I wasn't born yesterday you know boys." She grinned, "Though I may look like it." It was true that Evelyn Potter did not look her age. Far from it. She had a tall willowy frame, which looked made only to perform the most graceful of movements. Her face was well sculpted, all soft angles and high cheekbones. All framed by soft layers of ash blonde hair, which fell to mid way down her back. Her eyes were her most distinctive features, almost golden ochre colour that glimmered in the light. She was undeniably beautiful, even for her age.

"I'm trusting you Remus, to keep them in check." She nodded at the most sensible of the marauders.

"Of course Mrs Potter—Erm, Evelyn, wouldn't dream of letting them get out of hand." He grinned wolfishly.

"You can trust us m'am." Sirius said, throwing her a mock salute and clicking his heels together.

"Stand down soldier," Mrs Potter replied, reaching over to give her son a kiss on his forehead. He squirmed but hugged her tight back. "I'll be right upstairs if you need me." She promised, sweeping out of the kitchen and through the hall. "Oh and you can call Sookie if you need anything."

Suddenly a house elf appeared before them, dressed in a bright white pillow case with the potter crest stitched onto the front of it. "Somebody called masters." The house elf spoke, in high reedy tones.

"We're fine for now thanks Sookie." James said cheerfully, he had a special place for Sookie the house elf, who'd been there since he could remember and was always there for him. The first time James was rejected, when he was ten by a local neighbourhood girl, Sookie had been there with a plate of cookies and an ear to listen. When he'd broken his arm for the first time, playing Quidditch of course, Sookie had been there to bandage him up and hide the evidence from his worrying mother. Sookie was always there, and as far as James was aware, always would be.

James wasn't really aware of much.

"Now," Sirius clapped his hands together. "What's the game plan for tonight?"

"Well I know that you're planning on sleeping with our most generous hostess." Remus joked sarcastically.

"How would you dare accuse me of such things?" Sirius asked, his voice the picture of fake outrage.

"Pretty obvious Padfoot." Chipped in James, a scowl still in his voice.

"They all speak the truth." Peter joined in.

"You've been trying to get into Natalie Clarke's pants for the past two parties we've been to." Remus interjected a chuckle in his voice.

"You've got to admit she's gorgeous though."

"It's the only reason you've been so bloody insistent about going to this damn party." James grumbled, the annoyance shining through in his expression.

"For Merlin's sake James, cheer the hell up!" Sirius shouted good heartedly. "We're going to a party. You like parties. We'll just get some fire whiskey in you and you'll be fine."

He mumbled something undistinguishable; the others just ignored him and continued to chat around mouthfuls of cold toast.

...

"And so then..." Peter spluttered, in the midst of telling an exaggerated story about a summer adventure in muggle London. "Then... She said... said." He was laughing too much to continue. "She said "Well it isn't my egg salad!"

The marauders all burst into laughter; even James gave a little laugh (though that had more to do with Peter's unwarranted fits of uncontainable laughter and enthusiasm.)

"Mum had to obliviate the sales woman while she wasn't looking." Peter finished up, breathing heavily from all the merriment.

"Jeez Wormtail, can't leave you alone for more than one second can we?" Teased Remus, giving Peter a little shove.

"Oy, I'm mightily offended at that!" Peter cried.

"Face it Pete, he's got a point." Sirius chuckled.

"I think all of us need supervision, except Moony." James said.

"And he's back!" Sirius exclaimed, patting him on the back.

"Goddamn you Padfoot. Fine." He grudgingly accepted. "But if anything goes wrong or the party is terrible then I'm blaming you.

"Course Prongs, sounds like fair terms." Sirius agreed, offering his hand to shake.

For years to come, Sirius would regret agreeing to that.

{}

Marlene gracefully exited the fireplace, a feat that had took many, many years of practice to get right. For that's what Marlene did, anything she couldn't control she would work out until she had it down.

She could hear the sounds of voices and laughter drifting from upstairs, knowing that that was probably where her friends resided. A small, stout house elf stood by the large wooden door. She was an odd creature, with little tufts of white hair sprouting from her ears and even nose. She was stooped an old but her expression seemed happy as she looked at the girl who'd just come shooting out the fireplace.

"Hello. Mistress Ana and the other girls are upstairs in Mistress's bedroom." The old house elf croaked. "Would you like me to show you the way Miss?"

"No thank you, Kora." Marlene smiled at the little, creature. "How's Abra doing?" Referring to the house elf's sweet husband who had been ill for quite some time.

"He is fine thank you Miss." Kora replied, politely enough, but Marlene could tell it made her uncomfortable to be questioned by her "Mistress's" friend. Marlene could relate, it was one of the reason she liked talking to house elves whenever she came into contact with them: it gave them no opportunity for anyone to ask her questions she might not want to answer.

"Okay, well I'll see you later Kora." Said Marlene, giving a little awkward wave and heading upstairs towards the sound of the voices.

"Good bye Miss." Kora murmured, a few seconds later when Marlene was nearly out of ear shot.

Marlene gave a soft, smile as she heard the house elf wander away, stepping up the creaking ornate steps towards her friends. As much as she hadn't wanted to leave them before, as much as she'd wanted to sit and wallow on her bead, the closer she got to them the more she wanted to see them.

"You are such a prat Analeigh Urquart!" Lily cried, the noise echoing down the corridor.

Marlene laughed to herself as she approached the door, knowing that Lily had probably thrown some sort of projectile at Ana. She hadn't realised until just then how much she missed her friends, even Ana who could act like an absolute superior bitch sometimes.

Marlene knocked tentatively on the door but they didn't seem to hear, so she just pushed the door open. Alice was sat on the edge of the couch, laughing at the antics of her ridiculous friends. Lily and Ana were in the centre of the room, circling each other with a pillow clutched in their hands.

"Well." Marlene said, "I seem to have walked in at the wrong moment."

"Mar!" Lily cried, dropping her pillow immediately and throwing herself at the blonde stood awkwardly in the doorway.

Ana rolled her eyes a bit but grudgingly dropped the cushion and gave the new arrival a quick hug, whilst Alice acted similarly as enthusiastic as Lily. Jumping from her seat and giving Marlene a big squeeze.

"Suffocating." Marlene choked.

"Shut up." Alice said, shoving her in the stomach, and causing her to double over with laughter and fake pain.

"Right!" Ana cried, clapping her hands together to get everyone's attention. "Now that we are all present let's get to the matter at hand." Lily rolled her eyes but sat down, waiting for Ana to continue. Alice gave her a little encouraging smile as if to reassure her friend that nothing too crazy was going on. All these reactions just led to a very confused Marlene.

"The Party." Ana's eyes sparkled at the words, as she clapped her hands together once more. "Are you in or are you out Wright?"

Marlene looked around. Saw, Ana waiting impatiently with her hand positioned against her sharp hip. Alice's grin widened just a little like she could convince her to go along with it just with a smile. Lily was much more active, shaking her head to indicate no and miming cutting her throat vigorously.

Then she felt the photograph crinkle in her pocket, saw herself saying no and going home only to reminisce painfully. Maybe alcohol and watching James moon over Lily would be what she needed. "Sure, party."

Ana pumped her fists in triumph, doing a small victory dance as Alice looked just like she knew what the outcome would be all along. Lily, however, looked absolute devastated.

"Marlene!" She complained, "I thought I could count on you!"

"What can I say?" Marlene shrugged, "It's been a rough summer."

"That's my girl!" Ana cried, in a moment of uncharacteristically companionable behaviour, as she flung her arm around Marlene's shoulder. "Let's wash away this crappy summer with alcohol!"

"You guys are such idiots." Lily moaned, but sighed moved over to join in the group hug. Just as Alice did, although Lily did it much more reluctantly.

"And when it all blows up in our faces..." Lily said as she pulled away from the other girls. "You'll only have each other to blame."

"It's not gonna blow up in our faces." Ana sighed, rolling her eyes at Lily's over cautiousness.

"It will." Lily nodded confidently. "I just have a bad feeling about this."

{}

Lily was not always right, but she was often right. This meant most people listened to her. Usually but not always. This was one of those times that Lily Evans was very, very right. And another night when nobody listened when they should have.

That was the first night Lily could see thestrals.