Flora and Fauna Fall In Love
A/N: First story so please, be gentle.
Disclaimer: The majority of characters in the story belong to J.K Rowling's Harry Potter Series. I mean I wish I invented this world, but I really didn't. Some characters I've made up however most have been adapted from various roles and moments throughout the HP Series.
"The very essence of romance is uncertainty. If I get married, I'll certainly try to forget the fact." - Oscar Wilde
CHAPTER 1: New Year New Beginnings
"LILY EVANS GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT"; came the voice of Lily's mother from the bottom of the stairs.
"Hmmrphh" was Lily's reply as she pulled her pillow over her head. It took her a few moments to realize why her mother was shouting at her.
"Oh Merlin's pants"
Her head snapped up and she leapt from the bed with as much strength as she could muster. She soon realized she'd got up far too quickly as she tripped over her half-packed trunk and with a yell went crashing to the floor.
…
Marie Evans was humming quietly to herself as she flipped the egg's in the frying pan with expert ease. Lily came tumbling into the kitchen at that moment with one sock half on as she hopped on one foot to try and put on the other.
"Mum! You know what today is! Why didn't you wake me?" Lily huffed as she grabbed a slice of toast from the table.
"I haff a bee aff ffhe train staffon aff haff teb" she continued mumbling through the toast in her mouth.
Marie turned to face her. "Yes Lil I was aware of that fact. That's why I woke you at half eight. So you had plenty of time to worry about not waking up on time." She smiled at the look of astonishment on her daughters face before returning to her cooking.
"Well I.. Good job Mum." Lily consented before she took her place at the table. She picked up the Hogwarts letter from its place in the fruit bowl. She took out the gleaming red badge from the envelope and pinned it to her bright green jumper. She looked at the badge and shook her head. Head Girl. Her? She had never doubted Dumbledore's judgment before the badge had arrived with her letter two weeks previously. But now she really believed Dumbledore, brilliant as he was, had finally lost the plot.
Lily continued to mull over the coming year and her new responsibilities as Head Girl as her mother put a plate of bacon and eggs in front of her.
"So you still don't know who the Head Boy is Lil?" Her Mum said as she looked over Lily's shoulder at the letter.
"No clue" Lily responded as she tucked into her breakfast. "I suspect it's Remus or even Amos Diggory. They were both Prefects last year."
"Hmm" came her Mum's reply. "Diggory did you say?" She raised her eyebrow at her red headed child. "This wouldn't happen to be the same Diggory you and Hestia spent the summer discussing in great detail down the bottom of the garden?"
Hestia Jones, one of Lily's best friend's from Hogwarts had spent a week staying with the Evans' family in July.
"Mum! That conversation was private!" Lily said crossly as she finished eating. A reddish glow slowly became visible on her cheeks.
Her mother laughed plainly at her daughter's embarrassment as she sipped from her cup of tea.
"Lily Petal, it's no fault of mine if your voices carry up the garden and through the kitchen window as I tend to the dishes."
Lily mumbled something incoherent as a response and rose steadily to leave.
"Well please be ready to leave at half nine, I need to get to the train early to get set up for the Prefects meeting in the Head's compartment." She advised as she left her dishes in the sink.
"Oh, you mean you need to leave early to have a private meeting with the new Head Boy!" Her mother quipped with a laugh as she continued drinking her tea.
Lily groaned and tried to ignore her mother's laughter as she left the room.
Her father was just coming out of the living room as Lily was about to trek up the stairs to her room. He shook his head at his wife's antics having obviously heard the last of the conversation.
He smiled good-natured at his youngest daughter. "She's only teasing Lil." He said as Lily turned around to hug him.
"Off to work Dad?" Lily asked of her father as she looked up into his tired face.
"'fraid so Petal. Sorry I won't be here to see you off." He hugged Lily tightly, "Have a good term my love, and be safe." He smiled at her, his eyes showing the tiniest bit of sadness.
Lily squeezed his hand tightly. "Off course I will Dad. And anyway I'll be home at Christmas so I'll see you soon." She held back tears as her dad smiled at her wistfully.
"Course you will Petal." Her dad said as he made his way to the front door.
Lily stood and watched her dad leave with a heavy feeling in her heart. She didn't know why but she found it harder every year to leave her parents behind. They knew so little of her life now, and she wondered what it would be like after this year, when she would surely pursue a career in the magical world, how much she would be able to include her parents in her life then.
Lily thought over the long summer she had spent at her old home. Although she had become an adult in the magical world in May she never used magic the whole summer she was home. It felt foreign when she was in the muggle world, and somehow using magic just wouldn't help her feel more comfortable.
And then there was always the elephant in the room when it came to using magic in her parent's house, the rather horse-faced elephant, namely her older sister Petunia.
Petunia had never approved of Lily's magical ability however her dislike had only increased with time. After Lily found out about Petunias letter to Dumbledore in the summer of first year, she assumed Petunia was jealous of the fact that Lily could do something she could not. However as time progressed she began to think that Petunia despised magic because it was strange and unusual and all Petunia ever wanted was to be normal and accepted by her peers as such. The fact that her sister was so strange made her hate her and everything she stood for. And so began Petunias' reference to her sister as a "Freak" And so ended their one close friendship.
Lily slowly climbed the stairs to her room, pausing at the bathroom to collect her various toiletries. As she exited the bathroom she came face to face with Petunia on the landing.
Petunia looked like a deer caught in headlights. She looked anywhere but at Lily and opened and closed her mouth several time like a blubbing fish.
Lily pushed past her and started down the hall to her room. If Petunia didn't want to talk to her, she wouldn't talk to Petunia.
"Are you going then?" Petunia's sharp, shrill voice cut through the silence.
Lily turned around to face Petunia hands laden down with her various bottles. "To school you mean?" She responded.
"Yeah, to.. to..that place.." Petunia said with a scowl.
"Yes Tuney, I'm going back to school." Lily continued to her bedroom, pausing at the door. "See you at Christmas." slamming the door behind her.
….
An hour later Lily tore down the stairs dragging her half open trunk behind her.
"Mum are you ready to go?" She roared through the kitchen. Her trunk came to a halt with a sharp thud at the front door.
She heard a honk of the car out the front of the house. Lily opened the front door to see her Mum waving from the car. "Well she could have told me" She mumbled as she stumbled through the doorway pulling her trunk behind her. She heaved the trunk into the car just as her mum got out to help.
"Did you remember-?
Lily cut her mother off "Yes of course Mum I have everything" she said impatiently.
"Well then where's Pluma?" Lily's Mum said triumphantly.
"Oh no" Lily replied as she took off back up the steps to the house. She hopped up the stairs as fast as she could and barreled into her room. "Sorry, Sorry, Sorry" She pleaded to her pet owl Pluma who sat diligently on top of her wardrobe. "I would never leave without you" Lily smiled as she raised her arm for the owl to climb onto. Pluma hooted at her in an annoyed fashion before hopping down of her perch and swooping onto Lily's arm.
…
"Alright then well be good and you know, learn lots sweetheart." Lily's Mum said before Lily left for Platform Nine and Three Quarters.
Lily rolled her eyes and laughed at her Mum's advice "Wise words Mum, wise words." She waved and ran through the barrier.
…..
A/N: So that's chapter 1! Hope you liked it!
I'm already working on chapter 2 so sit tight it will be up soon. What do you think of Lily's character? I think her being disorganized and yet really intelligent adds to her likability. Thoughts? :D
Love H