Free Choices

Disclaimer: These characters and settings are all taken from the wonderful world of Harry Potter, which is the work of the one and only J.K Rowling. I'm just using it for fun and writing development.

Lily leaned against the cold, stone common room wall. The white hot fury that had been with her since the incident at the lake faded as remorse surpassed it. Only there was a hard core that refused to temptation to open the portrait hole again. Why should she feel sorry? She'd been helping and defending Snape for years and what had he done in return? He'd cursed people. He'd run along with Avery and Mulciber. He'd used every slur and insult in the dictionary when he thought she couldn't hear. Lily thumped the wall before flopping, exhausted, onto the cushy sofa by the dying embers of the fire. She had known it would happen and she wasn't particularly sorry that Snape was no longer her responsibility but she was sad for the ten year old boy in oversized clothes she'd once known.

"Lily?" the soft, deep, male voice came from behind her, "Are you okay?"

Lily turned around expecting to see Remus but instead, "Potter! What do you want?" She'd never heard Potter speak so gently and she couldn't recall him wearing such an odd expression on his face before. There was hardly any of the usual smirking arrogance.

"I was just checking you were okay Evans." He replied quite simply.

"I've just had to admit that my oldest friend is more likely than not to become a Death Eater. I'm not fantastic to be frank."

James' mouth twitched slightly, "Well, anyone could have told you he was-"

"Don't you dare say that! Don't dare! It was his choice. He chose to go down this route. I don't need a lecture from you or anyone about how he's bound to be evil because he's in Slytherin, it doesn't work like that." Lily's voice cracked with tiredness. "Can you just leave me alone for once?" She finished quietly, the anger in her voice fading. She looked so worn out that James didn't know what to do. He could curse Snivillus but that had sort of been the start of this. Resisting the temptation to walk towards her and give her a hug, he headed for the portrait hole, "Night then Evans."

"Where do you think you're going Potter? Your dormitory is upstairs." Lily said sharply. When James didn't turn around she marched over and blocked the hole. She swore she heard a snigger and glared at James, the only possible culprit, "I am a prefect. If you don't go to bed now, you'll be in detention so quickly it'll hurt."

James met the stony gaze of her emerald green eyes and the curious expression crossed his face again, "You win, Evans." He bowed his head in mocking acknowledgement of defeat, trademark smirk firmly back in place. "Goodnight oh beautifully victorious one." With that he turned and badly muffling some sniggering, finally departing the common room. Exasperated and annoyed, Lily curled up on the sofa again and picked up a book to calm herself down. Now not only Snape had caused her hell but bloody Potter thought it was funny to see her upset. And there was Transfiguration tomorrow as well. She hated exams.

"Wormtail, will you learn to put a sock in it!" Sirius exploded as soon as they reached the safety of the dormitory. "And Prongs, can you not talk to her for once. I'm absolutely starving!" This announcement was accompanied by a large rumble from his midriff.

James sank onto his bed "I couldn't just leave her, she looked so sad. Anyway, if you had eaten dinner instead of finding entertainment, you wouldn't be so hungry now, would you?" James finished with a grin. Peter laughed loudly.

"I've eaten worse than rats you know Wormtail." Sirius snapped.

"Will you three shut up? I want to be awake for Transfiguration tomorrow." Remus was sat up, glowering at them from his bed.

"Sorry Mooney, just getting into bed now" James replied instantly, wanting to avoid any more teasing about Lily from Sirius. Peter followed suit, muttering apologies. Sirius stood for a moment, looking like he wanted to continue.

"Could I take the cloak?"

"No Padfoot! Way past your bedtime!" James replied from behind the dark red curtain.

Sirius headed towards bed muttering anything apart from apologies.

Alice Macmillan woke early and looked over to Lily's bed. It hadn't been slept in. Hoping Lily had just fallen asleep downstairs rather than anything else, she headed down to the common room. At least if Lily was in the common room, Alice could shake her awake before it happened much more unpleasantly. Usually the earliest riser, Alice was quite shocked to hear voices and find Lily already talking to someone when she walked in. Alice then felt herself go red when she realised who it was: Frank Longbottom. Before she had a chance to run back upstairs, Frank had caught sight of her, smiled and waved her over. Lily turned to see who it was and could barely contain herself when she saw Alice.

"Good morning." said a beaming Frank, who had stood up as Alice walked over.

"Hi." she said, quite awkwardly. Alice stood the opposite side of Lily, "I came down to wake Lily." Alice gestured towards Lily, who had to move back a little to avoid being hit.

"Right, lovely. That was very kind of you." Frank's beam faltered slightly as he searched for something to say "Would have been bad if Black or Potter had got here first."

"Yes."

The two descended into a tense silence.

"Well, seeing as everyone's standing I might as well join in." Lily said light heartedly, standing up. When the silence persisted she said, "Might as well go and get ready for the day then. Transfiguration won't take itself. Coming Alice?"

"Wha- Oh yes, yes of course. 'Bye Frank." she turned and headed towards the dormitory at speed, pinker than ever.

"'Bye Alice, Lily." As they disappeared up the stairs he sunk down onto the sofa, horrified at the level of embarrassment he'd just gone through. This wasn't helped by an explosion of giggles from the stairs.

Snape stared despondently at his breakfast. He hadn't felt less like eating in his entire life. Avery pushed some bacon towards him, "Come on Snape," he growled, "It was time you stopped letting childhood get in the way of glory. She's only a Mudblood anyway, she'd have hindered you."

Snape flinched at the word and looked longingly at the fiery red hair of Lily Evans for a moment before turning away. He stabbed at the bacon. Avery nudged him, "Mulciber had a bit of sport planned for after the exams, you in?"

Snape gave one last glance towards the Gryffindor table and then looked back to Avery, "In."

The party had been going for quite a while, Sirius and James setting of fireworks at periodic intervals and Peter had been dispatched to the kitchens for more food – the other marauders acknowledged Peter as having a special knack with the house elves and he was always able to get the most food. Remus was stood slightly to one side talking to Dorcas Meadows, one of the fifth year girls, looking slightly bemused, but happy about the attention. Lily and Mary MacDonald were teasing Alice about Frank, "Honestly, he must think you have permanent sun burn!" laughed Mary as Alice had turned a bright shade of red. Frank had smiled and waved at her from across the room.

"I just don't get why he likes me. I mean he's in sixth year, and a chaser and pretty much top of the year. What would he see in me?"

Lily sighed, "You're good looking, clever, funny, very kind... Any more or is that enough of an ego boost?" Alice smiled shyly, her eyes focused just over Lily's shoulder.

"I'm going to talk to Dorcas." Alice announced, and promptly headed towards Frank, who seemed to have been facing similar jokes from Edgar Bones and the other sixth years.

Lily and Mary laughed and began betting over which friend would be missing from the main party first. Just then, a small, pink, winged thing flew in front of them. Mary reached out to grab it and it oinked loudly.

"That, I believe is a flying pig, which means Evans that you'll have to go out with me." James Potter was in front of them, grinning at them confidently, one hand ruffling his hair.

"Sorry, Potter, hell is still quite warm. Oh, got to leave, Dorcas wants me." Lily turned and walked deliberately away.

"You know, James, Lily might like it if you stopped asking her out. I mean, it's hilarious for the rest of us to see you put down every other day but I think she finds it rather tiresome."

James shrugged, "I'll never get if I don't ask."

Mary rolled her eyes "Bloody hell, Potter! You can't just wear her down to saying yes."

A sour expression came over James' face, he hated when people spoke to him about Lily. Everything else was so easy for him and he could feel people crowing over him every time she turned him down. But if he stopped asking then she might say yes to someone else.

Mary saw the expression and felt a little sorry for him "How's your Dad?" she said with a smile. Mary's family lived in a village near the Potter's country house and when they had found out the connection, Mary had often visited the Potter's with her parents, who wanted to know as much about the wizarding world as possible.

"He's doing better; the healers say they rarely see a recovery from dragon pox this good at his age." All of James' cocky arrogance dropped away as they began discussing his parents and the shared summers from years ago. Mary smiled at him, "You should talk to Lily like that. Stop trying to impress her and you actually might."

James was caught off guard by this advice and Mary just laughed. Just then, Dorcas came running over. "Hey James, Mary could you come over here for a bit? I need to ask you something."

"Sure. See you later James." and the girls left, Dorcas whispering intensely to her friend.

They had spotted a Hufflepuff alone up the corridor. Mulciber identified him as the younger Belby brother. Avery headed down a passage to cut him off further up the corridor while Snape and Mulciber followed at a safe distance, keeping quiet, their wands ready. They were outside the Charms classroom when Avery reappeared, wand drawn and pointed straight at Belby. The boy jumped at the sight of the burly Slytherin in front of him, "What the? Get out of my way Avery." Belby's voice quivered as he backed away from him.

"No. You're in our way actually." Avery smirked and nodded over Belby's shoulder.

Belby spun around, a horrified expression on his face as he saw Mulciber and Snape advancing towards him. He plunged his hand into his pocket for his wand but Snape flicked his own and suspended Belby by the ankle. Yelling loudly, Belby waved his wand wildly, "Stupefy!" By some mercy the spell hit Avery, who crumpled onto the floor, his face swelling where the jinx hit him.

"You'll pay for that mudblood!" yelled Mulciber and he started to make Belby spin faster and faster. Belby screamed, high pitched and terrified. They heard footsteps approaching quickly, someone running towards them. Startled, Snape let Belby fall with a sickening crunch onto the stone fall. Mulciber turned, wand raised to meet the next opponent. Snape, already down the far end of the corridor called back to him "Let Avery take the blame! It could be Flitwick!"

But Mulciber just growled and shot a spell to ricochet of the wall and around the corner. Snape, exasperated at such stupidity, ran quickly away – leaving the trouble to Mulciber and Avery.

A/N: I'm rewriting this story to cover the mistakes and hopefully improve it - at least a little. Let me know what you think!