Chapter One: September 1, 1976
She took it at a bit of a run. She wasn't nervous. The Platform nine and three-quarters was the magical passage to the Hogwarts Express. She'd enjoyed this trial-by-fire introduction to magic for years; it seemed a risky way to start especially her first time but magic, it seemed, required an element of risk. Then, just like magic, she was on the other side. She still preferred the Swoosh to the Fade-In.
The hardest part of the summer holidays, even worse than fighting with Tuni and ignoring Sev's pleas, was adhering to The Decree for the Reasonable Restriction for Underage Sorcery. You see, Lily was not an ordinary person. As it happened, Lily was a witch, and as such, she preferred doing ordinary things magically, with clever little spells and charms. She very much missed magic during the summer holiday. It was tediously mundane doing everyday chores without magic and in Lily's opinion quite frankly ridiculous. Magic elevated routine tasks such as folding laundry, making beds, drying dishes or even tying the laces on her trainers, to unpredictable outcomes, potentially disastrous misadventures but always joyfully amusing experiences. On top of which, she could always do with more practice.
However, Lily was not permitted to do magic during summer holiday. Technically, no one of the under seventeen was but because she lived with her parents who were utterly ordinary, her magic would be detected. The Evans's, Lily's parents, were Muggles you see, that is to say non-magic folk. As a witch born of Muggles she was classified as a Muggle-born in the Wizarding Hierarchy Department of the Ministry of Magic. She was also one of only two magical people in her own very ordinary home town; Sev being the other, and they were no longer on friendly terms. Lily, like Sev was monitored by the Ministry of Magic by means of the Trace. As an under Muggle-born witch her magic certainly would not go unnoticed.
The Trace is a Charm and its placement on underage witches and wizards at birth became law when the magical community went into hiding. In 1689, an agreement within the world-wide magical community called The International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy was instituted for a witches and wizards in every country. The Trace, as part of this agreement, was meant to protect the magical community from being discovered by Muggles. Still, it was utterly restrictive; punitive really, for Muggle-borns. Because of The Trace, underage witches and wizards were monitored by the Ministries of their respective countries until they were of age, that age being seventeen years, therefore, her magic certainly would be detected. Pure and half-bloods could count on their smaller, less sophisticated and often unsuccessful magic to ... fly under the radar, as it were, in a home full of the powerful magic of the resident adults.
Lily envied pure-blood's early exposure to magical learning. As her parents were Muggles (her sister Petunia exemplifying the worst sort of Muggle imaginable), Lily was quite the family oddity. She felt totally isolated in her childhood home and wondered when she was little if there was something wrong with her that is, she did until she met Sev. Lily never intentionally broke Wizarding Law therefore, her summers were strictly and lamentably ... magic-free. The most she could look forward to now were visiting owls delivering her news from her friends and that was something. Nonetheless, she had grown to dread magic-free summers in her family home and to resent The Ministry of Magic for singling her out as a Muggle-born in this way.
While her friends at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry couldn't wait for summer with their families, Lily could look forward to living like a Muggle while in her "normal" home. By the end of third term, her head was always overflowing with all she'd learned, new spells, Charms and Enchantments, not to mention Potions and she no longer had anyone to share these with. Her friendship with Sev, the only other magical person for miles, came to a sad, bitter and very public end this year and as a result, this summer she felt more isolated from the magical world than she ever thought possible. But she'd survived the dreaded summer holiday yet once again and at long last, today was the first of September! Summer holiday had come to a merciful end and she was going back to Hogwarts where she could do all the magic she pleased!
Platform nine and three-quarters was a welcome whirlwind of activity. It literally hummed with magic; she could feel it the instant she crossed the magical barrier. The air was thick with owls gliding silently overhead, searching for their own witch's or wizard's shoulders. Though Lily believed that some were actually kneazles either in disguise or pretending, the usual clowder of cats, was busy greeting one another with meows and head nudges. Occasionally a toad would escape its owner and could be seen hopefully hopping its way to freedom. Witches were sharing hugs and wizards were slapping each other on the back good-naturedly. Trolleys loaded, some with toddlers, but all with trunks, empty owl cages and piles of packages tied with string from Diagon Alley were either in the way or were rolled toward the train by harassed looking wizards.
The crimson carriages were steadily filling with chattering students while their parents looked on, missing them already or perhaps feeling jealously sentimental as, they'd all attended Hogwarts in their time. The magnificent black steam engine filled the blue autumn sky with thick, white mist tattooed by the occasional belch of coal black soot. She'd made it a tradition to search for the even the faintest trace of rainbows peeking out from the thick white steam of the The Hogwarts Express as it warmed up for the day-long journey to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Lily, as always, lingered on the platform; there was much to enjoy today. Magic surrounded her here, performed mainly by Hogwarts students, showing off as their parents proudly looked on. Though the young were dressed in typical Muggle attire the adult witches and wizards were dressed properly, that is, in full magical regalia! Elegant velvet cloaks in colors that could only be the result of a charm or spell displayed embroidered symbols of power, runes, magical animals that moved, celestial bodies that revolved and rotated and even the occasional family crest could be seen, likely displayed by pure-bloods. Cloaks swished and swirled with the wearer as their momentum changed as though choreographed just for Lily's amusement. Elderly witches displaying the family jewels, were gloved and stood just a bit taller in their high button boots. Then there were the hats! Top hats in deepest purple, bowler hats in blue and wizard hats worn with a stylish tilt. Witches and wizards adored their hats and today especially, they were ever present for style and show. It was a big day in the Wizarding World and whenever witches and wizards got together they couldn't help showing off.
"Lily!" Marlene McKinnon, Dorcas Meadows, Alice Prewett and Mary McDonald were marching her way, arm-in arm.
"It's about time! We've been looking for you since we arrived!" scolded Marlene affectionately. Marlene McKinnon was tall for her age, with a lean, athletic build, deep blue eyes, perfect teeth, very long electrum blond hair, reminiscent of Veela and the overall effect made Marlene a vision of loveliness. She embodied the girl-next-door look, slightly tanned but not because she worked at it rather, she just enjoyed spending much of her time outside. Marlene was a pure-blood and Lily's first friend at Hogwarts (well, after Sev). Lily felt a special affection for Marlene even if she always seemed to know things about Lily that Lily didn't want anyone to know.
"Did ya miss me my ginger?" Dorcas barked. Dorcas Meadows was not tall, she was quite small really but her personality always made her seem larger than she actually was. She had bright brown eyes and long eyelashes. Her skin was a shade darker than Marlene's and her hair, a shiny, golden brown fell in smooth, winding curls all the way down her back. She had a petite athletic build and a mischievous smile. Dorcas was a half-blood; her mother was a witch while her father was an important Muggle diplomate requiring her family to travel often and that suited Dorcas just fine. She liked adventure and the unpredictable. Dorcas ... well ... Dorcas was different, rebellious and unusual really even for a witch; she did not concern herself with what other people thought. She came to King's Cross Station by means of the infamous Knight Bus! Given a choice, no witch or wizard would ever choose to ride anywhere on the Knight Bus; it was for the stranded who obviously had no choice. But Dorcas, well, she was different. Thus, The Knight Bus. She reminded Lily of the witch version of Sirius Black who was reputed to own a Muggle motor cycle.
"Figured you might be late because Petunia just had to have one last go at you!" Alice said in a disgusted voice. Alice Prewett, like Marlene was a pure-blood; the Prewett family were members of The Sacred Twenty-Eight though they did not hold with the notion that magic belonged exclusively to pure-blood families. The Prewett's were known as blood-traitors and they were proud of it. Alice was a tiny witch but fierce; her favorite class was Defense Against the Dark Arts and was easily the best of her friends in a duel. She wore her dark brown hair very short, better for dueling she claimed, in a pixie style cut that screamed the 70's. She had large doe-brown eyes that tended to make people feel as ease. She was a curvaceous little witch with light skin and freckles across her nose. Alice was also the only witch in their group with a steady boyfriend. Frank Longbottom adored Alice Prewett and she felt just the same about him.
"Well, I wasn't worried in the least Lily! I knew you would be here in good time," added Mary McDonald. Mary was Muggle-born like Lily and she understood the ins and outs of Muggle travel. The two Muggle-born witches shared a knowing look. "I got here at half ten, early as always but I just couldn't wait to get back, ya know? I never appreciate magic so much as when I can't use it and you can never be too sure of Muggle transportation; I did not want to be late," she finished matter-of-factly. The two Muggle-born witches shared a second knowing look. Mary was a beautiful witch though she did not seem to know this or care. Her hair was raven black, her fringe just topped her eye brows while the rest stopped just at the nape of her elegant neck and curved under ever so slightly. She had blue-green eyes that varied within that color range depending on her mood. She was of average height but that was the only aspect of her appearance that could be considered average. Her face had fine bone structure, her lips were full and her skin, like porcelain. She had slim curves in all the right places and a gentle, almost quiet laugh.
These were Lily's best friends and she loved them. "Oh, I've missed you!" Lily shouted. "There were times this summer when I thought that today would never get here!" Lily had the most eye-catching appearance of this group and sometimes it rankled her. People, magic and Muggle alike often stared at Lily. Lily was stunning ... a rare and true ginger. She had full, straight auburn hair that fell to the middle of her back; it was a highly polished copper now because of the summer sun but would darken ever so slightly with the change of season, taking on a burnished coppery color. Her eye lashes and brows were an exact match to her hair and they looked like they were made of sunlight when viewed from the side. Lily's eyes were almond shaped and amazingly green. Her complexion was typical ginger; light with freckles everywhere. She had a small, lean build, long, slender legs and delicate little hands. Lily's friends often told her she was beautiful but Lily did not agree; she was ... well ... red and spotty and small. Lily was also known for being last to notice what was obvious to most. She never noticed her own beauty, nor its effect on those to look upon her.
"Hello Ladies!" Sirius Black had arrived. First, he looked them up, slowly ... allowing his grey eyes which were their cool shade just now, to take in the sight of them and of course, allow them to do the same. Then, he looked them down, his long black hair falling carelessly around his face, he looked at each girl in turn. Then, his mouth softly changed into that famous Sirius grin that broke witch's hearts. He was, of course, leaning back ever so slightly for maximum viewing pleasure and to affect casual confidence. "I see that summer has been good to our Gryffindor Girls," he finished with a wink.
Turning in unison the girls came face to face with Sirius Black. He was a singularly beautiful wizard; possibly the most beautiful wizard they had ever clapped eyes on. A mere description of his features would never do the whole package justice. He was a sixth year Gryffindor but unique among the Gryffindors; he was expected to be sorted into Slytherin House like all the pure-blood Blacks before him but his sorting made him the first and only Gryffindor Black. The girls took in his appearance slowly, to allow time to appreciate the vision that was Sirius Black. His grey eyes were well known to change with his mood; from dark and stormy to lighter and lyrical, without warning. His eye lashes were as black as his hair and curved just enough. His handsome face had a strong jaw that looked like it could do with a shave but he didn't look scruffy. He was just shy of six feet tall with lean muscles, narrow hips and broadening shoulders and long legs. His skin was tan from the summer sun and though he was a pure-blood wizard, he preferred to dress like a Muggle, always: jeans, white t-shirt, red trainers, no socks and the occasional leather jacket. It was rare to find any witch, let alone five, who could appreciate Sirius Black slowly. Most females, magic and Muggle alike failed to keep even a trace of their composure in this wizard's presence. But at least four of these five knew Sirius Black well and were not over-dazzled.
"Hello Sirius," they replied.
"Are you actually on your own Sirius?" Lily questioned hoping the question came off as casual teasing. "Where are the rest of your Marauders?" Lily looked behind Sirius. Sirius smirked. Lily really was most likely to miss the obvious. Everyone knew she was secretly searching for James, except James; he of course. He knew no such thing. Then, from out of the steam of the Hogwarts Express, James Potter, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigres appeared to appear at Sirius's side, all smiling widely and opening their arms in greeting.
"Knew we'd find you where the witches are Pads!" James teased.
"Where else would I be Prongs?" Sirius replied.
"Well, at least he's easy to find," added Pete with a laugh.
"Morning all! Fine day for an adventure!" Remus said as he bit the head off a chocolate frog.
"Hello Lily," James spoke first directly to Lily. He noticed Lily's color rise up her neck from her chest all the way to her ginger hair. He'd expected this thought he didn't know exactly why except she was probably embarrassed for several reasons the least of which had to be that she feared that he was going to ask her out...again. James apologized last year for adding fuel to that fire, so to speak, during the now infamous Mud-blood Row, which just happened to occur in front of half the school and right in the middle of O.W.L.'s! Well this year would be different, he was determined and tried to make it apparent by the use of her first name. They'd always called each other by their surnames. For five years it was 'Evans!' and 'Potter!' usually followed by a row. But James had had enough of her refusals; he knew he'd behaved like an idiot whenever Lily was around but no more! He was a new man this year and he would prove it to her right from the off. He'd gained the captaincy and as Quidditch Captain for Gryffindor house he felt the need to grow so, with evident effort he tore his sweet, hazel eyes from Lily's lovely face, shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his trousers and shared his smile with the rest of the witches. "How are we all on this fine September morning?"
Recovering from her momentary blush, (surely it had gone unnoticed), Lily looked into James's face first. He called her Lily! She lingered there almost against her will trying to take it in, this new development; he'd never called her Lily! Then she deliberately looked at each of the rest of the Marauders in turn. She was determined to be open minded about these four wizards and to keep her cool in James's presence. The whole situation (coming off the back of last year's blow-out Mudblood Row) seemed to require that Lily behave like a Gryffindor! Or as the Muggle saying goes, 'fake it 'till you make it'. So ... in that moment, Lily, seized with courage, adopted an attitude arrogance. Her Sirius impression began. First, she smiled lazily, leaned back a bit, arms crossed, just barely tilted her head in the attitude of study, opened her mouth ever so slightly, winked her left eye at the boys and finished her greeting by opening arms, mimicking the Marauder's initial bravado. She did all this without saying a word. The Marauders, nonplussed by this remarkable imitation of Sirius rewarded Lily with an appreciative applause; Sirius applauding the loudest. So, Sirius Black was actually self-aware. All the tension that might have been present during this potentially awkward reunion evaporated on the spot. Well, perhaps James and Lily remained a bit tense but they made a good show of trying not be so.
The Hogwarts Express steam whistle called their attention and the nine Gryffindors hastened to board the train. They made their way with some difficulty to the last compartment on the train. This was the Marauder's very own by universal consensus or by force if need be. There was much shuffling and groaning as they stowed their trunks to make room for all nine of them, Lily included for the very first time. At first it felt crowded but as if by an Undetectable Extension Charm, they all fitted comfortably together. The compartment would soon need room for only seven of them (perhaps it would shrink a bit) as Remus and Lily were the Gryffindor House prefects and would be needed in the prefect's carriage soon enough.
Frank Longbottom filled the doorway just as everyone completely settled in and gave Alice a special smile then addressed the Gryffindor prefects. "Well, are you ready to 'follow my lead'?" Frank was their new Head Boy and just had to make himself chuckle a bit. He felt a wee nervous, truth be told and laughter helped take the edge off. Alice returned Frank's smile and took him into an appreciative view. He looked quite dashing in his Gryffindor robes with his Head Boy Badge just evident under his collar.
"Yes, of course, we have a meeting to attend," Lily replied as she rose to find her robe and prefect badge. A kerfuffle ensued, as she'd uncharacteristically, left them in her trunk: proximity to James always confunded her. This required the near geometrically perfect arrangement of trunks to be un-arranged and then rearranged, everyone disagreeing on the most efficient way to accommodate Lily's needs. Eventually, she donned her robe proudly, right over her Muggle attire and pinned her badge securely to the upper left corner while Remus waited patiently. Remus was always ready. To this day no one seemed to know how Remus accomplished this but they accepted it as just one of the mysteries of Remus Lupin. Carefully, she tucked a lock of her ginger hair behind her ear, checked for her wand and looked at Remus, her green eyes bright with excitement.
"If you see him, give Snivellus our love," Sirius added just as they were leaving. James looked uncomfortable hearing this and Pete laughed awkwardly, Frank threatened to take five points from Gryffindor for Sirius's cheek and Remus regarded Sirius with a look of unmistakable reproach. Sirius simply shrugged as the three left the compartment. Lily noticed all of this but appeared to take no notice at all.
Frank went ahead of the two prefects in search of the new Head Girl and found her three doors down. She seemed to be stalling for time fidgeting with her new robe: Hogwarts black of course but detailed around the collar, sleeves and bottom in Ravenclaw colors of blue and bronze embroidery. It was a lovely robe but she stopped when she saw Frank. Then Emmeline Vance shook off her own nervous behavior, knowing that she would enter the prefect's carriage with her friend Frank so ... no worries.
As Lily and Remus made their way along the length of the entire train, they had some time alone. Remus slowed and turned around and walking confidently backwards, faced Lily.
"So, have you seen him yet, are you ready to ... you know ... face him, Snape, I mean, in case he's wandering the corridors?" He whispered urgently. He just had to ask. They had yet to discuss The Mudblood Incident in person. They'd written to each other all summer and it had been discussed sort of ... but today Remus needed to know that Lily was OK, see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice. The Marauders agreed amongst themselves to never mention it again in Lily's presence, that is if she ever actually became a presence in their group lives, unless she brought it up first, but in this case, he just had to know. He wasn't talking about her, he was talking with her and as her friend, he had that prerogative. Sirius, on the other hand, did not. Remus made a mental note to remind Sirius of this Marauder agreement as soon as possible.
"Well, I've faced The Marauders so how bad could it be?" Lily replied. "No, I haven't seen him yet and yes, I am ready when I do. Remus, you know our relationship was strained well before he called me a Mudblood. Mary telling me things like, "Poisonous toad-stools don't change their spots." Dor shouting, "He's a Slytherin Lily, believe me, it matters!" Mars stating her views as gently as she could, "I'm sorry Lily but he's creepy! He never deserved you!" Then there was Alice's matter of fact summary, "I don't know how you could have ever been his friend Lily!"
Lily took a steadying breath. "Remus, after what his mate Mulcibur did to Mary well ... I knew then our, friendship was never going to last. How could anyone be friends with someone who's mates with Mulcibur, I ask you? The Mudblood Row was nothing more than the final nail in that coffin. I'd always worried that everyone was right about him and so they were. Truth be told, it made me feel like a fool, The Row. I thought as his friend, that I could bring him around or enlighten him ... somehow, ya know … save him. And I accuse James of being arrogant! A Gryffindor Muggle-born and a Slytherin half-blood being friends? It wasn't possible in the current climate. Besides, I wasn't all that good a friend to him anyway; ours was a friendship of convenience on both sides, I think and it was never going to last, you know what I mean?
"No, not really. It never seemed very convenient to me Lily! Your friendship with Snape kept you nearly isolated from your own house and the rest of the school for five years! It colored your view of my three best mates and I think that it left you, lonely." Remus had a way of stating uncomfortable truths and while it unnerved her she couldn't deny it.
"I used him, Remus. I did care about him but I used him all the same and while no one deserves to be called a Mudblood I think he knew I was using him."
"Used him for what Lily? What use could he possibly have been to you?" Remus asked in a frustrated and confused voice.
For all his insight, Remus apparently didn't know and that suited Lily just fine. After all, he needn't know everything. Lily was not ready to talk about that now, not even with Remus. Remus was brave and able to voice some uncomfortable truths but Lily was not prepared to be that forthcoming. At least not yet. She still had to sit with The Marauders for the whole day. That was enough to be going on with.
It was uncanny that at that very moment, they passed a compartment full of Slytherin sixth years. Who sat right next to the door? Who sat closest to the corridor clearly visible through the doors' glass; Severus Snape. He sat as he usually did, with his head in a book, his hair a constant curtain for his face, just hung there. He was probably reading something Dark. As Lily and Remus passed, he did not look up or give any outward sign that he had noticed Lily walk by but Lily sensed he knew and like her chose to ignore it, for now. Lily, her head held high, shoulders back kept right on walking, following her friend, a still backward-walking Remus to the prefect's compartment located right behind the engine. They arrived without incident and Lily was glad of it. Remus, ever the gentleman, opened the door with his palm wide then, bowed Lily in. They greeted the other prefects who arrived before them, took a seat toward the back and began in earnest to discuss their summer.
"How was your summer Remus, really?" Lily had to know how Remus had coped with the full moon when at home. She also desperately wanted to steer this conversation away from her having used Sev because she'd said too much, too soon as she usually did with Remus. Remus would take note of what she'd said and he might be patient but he was not likely to let it go; he'd resolve to try and have the rest of this conversation with her eventually or ferret out the truth for himself. Neither suited Lily; not just yet anyway. He was a great wizard and Lily had always been very fond of Remus. He alone of The Marauders never made her feel uncomfortable and today he would be her bridge to the other side. He knew this as it had been at his suggestion.
She looked at him now with gratitude and she felt deep pity for his circumstances (she hoped he'd not noticed the pity she felt). He always looked a bit peaky. His robes were well worn and slightly faded. Remus had extremely perceptive eyes and they searched hers now giving her a slightly sad, resigned smile. Perhaps he had seen her pity but he would also know she pitied his circumstances, not Remus himself. He always seemed to Lily like an old soul in a youngish body. Lily knew of Remus's suffering, his terrible transformations and his unparalleled courage to make of his life what he could, regardless of his circumstances. His constant friendship and advice inspired her to new bravery today. After all, if he could live with his Lycanthropy and make so much of his life, what could Lily have to complain about? Let alone to fear.
"My summer was mostly, uneventful. Yours?"
Remus was deflecting, biding his time, so maybe not as uneventful as he hoped to suggest. She'd permit him this stalling tactic. We all needed time to face our own truths. So, she started the conversation with her summer.
"The same, mostly. I always miss Hogwarts so much during the summer and of course there is The Petunia Problem."
"Did you row all the time or pretend she wasn't there?"
"Well, she's dating now; some overbearing Muggle named Vernon Dursley so she spent a lot of time, mercifully, elsewhere." This made Remus laugh. Lily exhaled with a wicked little grin on her lips and then continued. "I got some much-needed time alone with my parents and had a chance to talk with them about some of fifth year, its ups and downs you know? We didn't discuss the Mudblood Incident and if I can help it, we never will. I managed to lie my way around the reasons for my split with Snape and they were relieved that we had a parting of the ways." Lily nodded with her chin toward the far side of the carriage, where the door was located to indicate Snape. "They never liked him much, thought he was a bit dodgy and they, were of course, correct as was everyone else. But never mind that, how was your furry little problem," she whispered, "without the Shrieking Shack?" It was his turn and she wouldn't be put off. He had a witch friend in her and females could perceive of difficulties in ways that no pack of blokes, best mates or not, could. All wizards should have a witch friend.
"Not too bad, my parents have a safe room of sorts for me so, now don't overreact Lily …I could only bite myself." Remus looked away from Lily as if that had come out all wrong, self-pitying but Lily knew he hadn't meant it to solicit such. Sometimes, just as Lily could slip and say too much to Remus, he could do the same; say too much to Lily. Thus, was the nature of real friends who trusted one another.
Lily paled a bit and took Remus by the shoulders and squared him to face her. "Only yourself? That's barbaric! Oh, Remus," she whispered, "what a horrible time you must have had! Someday someone will invent a potion or a spell that will make the full moon less fearsome, I am sure of it! Maybe it will be me and I'll invent a Potion." Lily finished, her green eyes over-bright, her face full of determination. "Still, its better than turning someone, eh?"
"Funny Lily. Sometimes you can be quite funny." Remus smile morphed slowly from irritation to hilarity. Gradually it became a genuine smile. He loved her for her attempt to make light of his crap monthly sufferings which in reality, could turn tragic in an instant. He also loved her for her willingness to remain his devoted champion. Lily was the only person he knew of to have figured out that he was in fact, a werewolf, except of course for James, Sirius and Pete and then pluck the courage to confront him about it. He really didn't mind her knowing. She'd never told a soul. He was afraid at first, naturally. It was his darkest secret. Afraid that their friendship would change, afraid that she would discover his many other secrets specifically, his three illegal Animagus friends; Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs. It seemed, thankfully, she had not discovered his other secrets yet, but she had a steep learning curve. Mostly he was afraid that she would pity him. He knew she did pity him but her pity felt different somehow, as though he suffered from some dreadful injustice and she was right. But she'd never treated him differently since and he was thankful for it. It seemed that Lily was as loyal as James, Sirius and Pete. He felt foolish arguing against his own friendship with Lily, on a matter of principle of all things, especially when Lily embarked on an impassioned defense of Remus. She told him, "You're the victim Remus! I know the real you! We all know the real you!" Then, there was his favorite, "No one with any sense could possibly hold it against you!"
That last statement wasn't even debatable; Remus knew that most people would indeed hold it against him. Werewolves were known to be vicious and blood thirsty by historical documentation and who could prove them wrong except an out-of-the-closet werewolf? Nevertheless, his fear evaporated, their friendship only strengthened and they were better for it. Just as they were about to discuss their O.W.L results, the compartment door opened and Emmeline Vance entered followed by a smiling Frank Longbottom; their newly appointed Head Girl and Boy. All the prefects rose silently from their seats in recognition of their new leaders and waited for the Heads to be seated before taking a seat themselves.
The meeting passed in no time, as the Heads acquainted the new prefects with their duties and instructed them on how to find prefect office, to submit House point deductions and detentions. Many if not most of the prefects had never been in trouble; that was why they were made prefects after all, and they had no idea where the prefect office was until they were told. The Heads reviewed the point deduction system and introduced a new method for keeping records: Purple Prefect Pads. All prefects would be assigned their own year's supply. They implored their charges to document everything on their PPP's. They were a new addition to prefect duties and had been Emmeline's idea. It seemed a good one as a history of rule-breaking could be spotted, patterns could be monitored and thereby, help the prefects and their supervisory Heads with communication, punishments for repeated or increasingly misdeeds. There were certain consequences for every misdeed and these were not up for discussion. They were automatic. The worst offenses resulted in time spent with Filch so, definitely a deterrent. The older prefects would just have to learn to use them and for the initiates it would be a matter of habit, back them up when contested by the perpetrator and help spot trends and repeated offenders. They were funny really but it was hoped they'd prove useful. Lily loved them!
Neither Remus nor Lily were scheduled for castle rounds tonight and they were glad if not a bit suspicious that Frank was showing favoritism. But, he was Head Boy and it was his prerogative. Lily and Remus had no desire to question his judgement. Frank supplied them with the first password for the year ... cuttlefish ... and they visited for a while. Frank would become an Auror, a Dark Wizard Catcher and he regaled them for a while on the excitement he felt preparing this year for his N.E.W.T.'s which were one of the standards by which the Auror Office measured, their new recruits. Frank was a cert! It's what Frank had been working for his whole life; to be an Auror. They were in the middle of a Wizard War after all and Aurors were in high demand. After an amiable chat about their summer holidays and his appointment as Head Boy, all three of them trooped back down the corridor to the end of the train and Marauders exclusive compartment.
So, Lily, with the support of Remus and her four favorite witches, joined the Marauders and Frank (the compartment surely had an undetectable extension charm on it) for the day-long train ride to Hogwarts. The Marauders bragged shamelessly about their best pranks and made fun of their worst. Their best pranks had the best planning so they shared some of details of their planning sessions with the witches. They threw around for new pranks, about which the witches had some ideas of their own to contribute. Even Frank and Lily contributed ideas to this year's new pranks (perhaps Frank had done this before; offered up ideas for Marauder pranks). But they made it clear that they would take house points if the Marauders got caught. Remus however, refused to commit to this. Apparently, he was a Marauder first. He stated matter-of-factly that they just wouldn't get caught.
When it came to planning pranks the Marauders apparently, had a system. Pete, due to his winning record in chess was officially dubbed, the strategist, of the group. He drew the diagrams and flow-charts, Remus suggested, researched and often instructed on all the new spells and charms they would need, Sirius played devil's advocate searching for every possible pitfall and James led. He was their natural leader so he chivied, teased, cajoled, bossed, bribed, begged and sometimes even threatened the very best out of them. They held the undisputed record for both the best and the most pranks since the Prewett Twins reigned supreme with just the one exception, of course … Peeves (the undisputed master of misery).
The Marauders were infamous, therefore, they had to have secret methods but that only added to their mystique so, no one ever asked. They played exploding snap until the air was so thick with smoke that when Evanesco failed, they were forced to open all the windows and abandon the compartment for a time. They made flying paper notices as a welcome back greeting to all the people they knew in other compartments; it was more fun than just walking to every compartment on the train; added a bit of intrigue. They placed bets as to which recipients would know who the senders were and whether the recipients would send their own responses. Most recipients responded because they all knew it was the Marauders!
James showed everyone the photographs he had taken that summer. James baking in the kitchen with his mum, supervised by a stern looking house elf who reminded Lily of their Transfiguration professor. Sirius dueling with and losing to his James's dad. The new kneazle kittens that were born in July who were entertaining what looked to be young house elves. Another house elf, James called him Wik, flying on what was apparently James's very first broom. James's mum bravely tending to her Venomous Tentacula in her greenhouse while Remus struggled with re-potting a Mandrake. James's dad brewing potions in his own private laboratory which made Lily feel quite jealous! James playing a grand piano while Sirius and Mars made fun of him from behind. That was interesting, was James musical? Remus researching in the library. Sirius and Pete playing a game of wizard chess that Pete invariably won. A dinner party for family friends with ballroom dancing in formal wear! James ballroom dancing? Three aside Quidditch with James, Remus and Mars on one team and Sirius, Dor and Pete on the other. Remus and Pete on brooms, who knew?
Just to prove that James took his baking lessons seriously, he shared his homemade pastries and one became everyone's newest favorite, homemade caramel. This was photographic evidence of James Potter's life. Remus had been right. She didn't know him at all. James's photos betrayed his wealth. The Potter library was vast and he had grounds and drawing rooms and greenhouses, entry ways and an elegant, marble stair case that was evidently supported by magic, a private potions laboratory and more than one house-elf! Lily felt stupid now. She'd never made the connection between James and his father, the famous Potioneer and creator of, Fleamont Potter's Sleekeazy's Hair Potion. His father was practically a household name; she'd even seen a bottle of it in their dorm! Witches swore by it.
Pete sent all of them letters from all over Europe; he traveled every summer with his family and he sent them the strangest things, sand from a beach in the south of France, minerals specimens from the rocky Alps, colored beads from Italy and owl feathers from each location that he visited. He also drew the loveliest drawings of foreign architecture, exotic people, vast green landscapes and stormy seascapes. Pete had real talent for capturing the feel of a place or the beauty of a foreign witch. It seemed like this was an annual thing; seeing Pete's perception of the places he had traveled. He refused to use a camera or to work from a picture, even a magical one. He'd always seemed an unlikely show-off to Lily unless it was something to do with his Marauders. This evidently sensitive Pete seemed a contradiction to the Peter Pettigrew Lily had observed for five years. Maybe there was more to him than Lily's biased opinion had allowed. She'd have to wait and see.
Pete was a full head shorter than the rest of the Marauders, he had strawberry blond hair and light blue eyes. He stockier than his three taller friends and by comparison he looked, a bit round, especially in school robes. He was not fat, exactly but he was stocky, like a rugby player but he was known for loving long naps and snacking, so they teased him about it. He never seemed to mind much, often making light of their jibes. In fact, he'd always appeared to love this attention, albeit negative. Perhaps there was no more truth in it than there was truth in Sirius's perceived man-whore persona, or in Remus's being strictly bookish or in James's … well ... James was not teased by his fellow Marauders about much of anything really except for his love-for-Lily-Evans. Yeah, they did tease him mercilessly about Lily.
Remus, as official researcher of the group, served as the intellectual who used summertime to learn new magic just for pleasure. He spent many long and joyful hours in every library he could find, including James's. Remus put this research to use every year not only in class but also in the execution of their pranks. Apparently, he was known for being able to enchant Pete's drawings so that they would move and today he demonstrated this magic for the group. He also could make James's photographs stop moving which he also demonstrated, stopping the motion at ludicrous times. Remus was not quieter than James or Sirius but he did seem to take more time to consider his words and compose their delivery. Remus was the tallest Marauder but he was also the thinnest. He was lithe and sinewy and extremely strong in spite of his general living-rough appearance. His perceptive eyes could look almost feral one minute and absolutely warm the next. Remus was slow to anger but furious once angered and slow to cool back down. You really did not want to anger this Marauder. But he was also terribly kind, and patient and sympathetic.
And then there was James. Of the four Marauders, Lily thought James was ... well, James was yummy. He was tall and lean and looked like he had a lot more growing left in him. His expressive, hazel eyes hid nothing behind his square black glasses and those eyes always seemed to be looking at her, at least whenever she was looking at him. He was the only wizard to ever, actually turn Lily's head. He always smelled warm and clean like a summer day in a grassy field and Lily found herself inexplicably drawn to him from the first moment she was in his presence. Unconsciously, Lily began hunting down the source of these scents: the essence of James. In first year, it was unconscious but by second year, it became opportunistic and occasional, for instance, when they were in Potions but by, third year it had become her private obsession. The likelihood of finding his intoxicating scent in a Muggle shop was nil, yet, Lily hunted all the same, every summer. Shampoos, laundry soap, sunscreen, toothpaste, garden shops and used furniture stores. At school, she regularly searched the Potions stores, secretly hunting for the essence of James Potter and never finding it.
But here, in his presence, it found her, it filled her brain and, she had to make the effort, though it was difficult to pay attention to the flow of conversation. His scent alone, was enough to unsettle Lily, it always had been. Today, however, she couldn't yell at him and storm off in a huff. She couldn't escape it. She'd promised Remus this year to have an open mind. Remus didn't seem to know what opening her mind to James Potter could mean to Lily but she wasn't going to worry about that now, nor would she go back on her word to Remus. Nor to her commitment to herself. She absolutely had to know.
There was much to privately appreciate about James Potter if she could just maintain her composure and appear to be listening. He had full, red lips that looked like he spent most of his time snogging. He licked them a lot too, so they were always either moist or slightly chapped. James gesticulated animatedly when he spoke and always gave people his full attention when he listened to them. James actually listened to people, a detail she'd missed but now she had no idea how it had escaped her. His whole body turned toward the speaker, regardless of who was speaking and he leaned in, demonstrating his genuine interest in what they had to say. James had mad black hair that stuck up everywhere and Lily always wanted to touch it, grab hold of it really but he always beat her to it. It regularly took a thrashing from its owner as though it was a curse. Lily wondered now if James's ridiculously messy hair was the result of nerves alone or some sort of a potions accident in the family laboratory or maybe he had gotten into some of his dad's famous hair potion at a too-young and hair-vulnerable age. Then there were his hands. His hands were perfect and Lily loved looking at them.
She was certain she was coloring now but his presence so near to her was extremely desirable. Lily, surrounded by his intoxicating scent and he was so near to her in the close quarters of the compartment that Lily was pulled into a dazed state of blissful, oblivion. As far as she was concerned he was the only person in the room and his was the only scent she could identify. Today, right now, he was literally, quite inescapable. It all served to drag her back to the first time she laid eyed on James Potter. She longed for the memory to rise. Throwing caution to the winds she lost her head and let the memory rise to surface.
She experienced her first physical response to a boy the first time she was near James. She was eleven and he was beautiful! Then he opened his mouth and was rude to Sev so she became instantly confused and began to doubt. It didn't matter that Sev was rude first. Sev wasn't beautiful and he certainly he didn't arouse in her these feelings. How could someone who was so beautiful as James Potter be so rude to someone he'd only just met?
Thus, her confusion began as well as her secret. In spite of his rudeness she found James Potter utterly appealing in an eleven-year-old sort of way. She was blushing right now at the mere memory of the first time they'd met. This blushing was not a recent development but in previous years when she became completely unglued, she'd had an out, an escape. She yelled at him. She yelled about him. She'd manufactured reasons to storm off so as to gain some distance and keep this blushing private. She'd never said one good thing about him, even to his friends who just so happened to also be her friends. She called him names and accused him of being a bully. James continued to confund her all of first year and she decided in second year to just avoid James altogether. As long as she was friends with Sev, she was unlikely to be around James as James and Severus openly despised one another.
But, she refused to permit Sev to intrude on her thoughts today. There might be time later but not today. She was writing a new script for her life and she shoved memories of hiding behind Severus Snape out of her mind. In spite of her somewhat hysterically inexplicable behavior then, James remained undaunted and that was worth remembering. He created opportunities to encounter Lily and he too behaved absurdly. It was funny now to remember his ridiculous outbursts. Every single time he was near her he'd yell for everyone to hear, "Alright Evans! Go on! Go out with me!" Had she not been so embarrassed and confused, she'd have been delighted by his adolescent attempts to get her attention. She couldn't think of a witch at Hogwarts who wouldn't have loved to be the center of James Potter's attention. He was quite ridiculous and an arse but Lily couldn't handle it and would always run away.
However, one memory from fifth year was sweet and she dwelled on it now. When everything blew apart that wretched afternoon during O.W.L.'s, Lily realized three things she'd tried to deny for years. Sev fancied her. He was also ashamed of her, just exactly like her friends had said all along. And … she fancied James Potter. In a fit of anguished whinging about Potter and his mates, Sev blabbed. All Lily heard were those six little words, "He fancies you! Potter fancies you!" Then, right in front of Sev, she blushed, full on from her chest to the top of her head. That was the moment when she believed Sev finally realized the truth. Lily never had romantic feelings for him nor would she. She fancied James Potter. It was for this reason, that he called her a Mudblood. He was hurt and angry. He wanted to hurt her in return and so he said the unforgivable word; Mudblood. It solved one problem but as with all mixed blessings, it created others.
Since the Mudblood Incident, James had stopped asking her out in his totally maladroit way and even apologized for having done so, so often, in the past. This apology enabled them to come to a polite detente in the ever persistent, years long battle between "Potter!" and "All right Evans?" But it also forced Lily to examine the feelings James awoke in her when she was just the tender age of eleven. The feelings had only grown stronger with each passing year. This September first was the first time she approached their confusing relationship without weapon or shield. She understood now as a young woman what these sensations were. She understood what this feeling meant and this year she was determined to face it.
She was no longer a child. She would have to do something about James Potter. She started to consider his redeeming qualities which she had been tallying until old memories resurfaced. She abruptly realized that Remus was quite right, she didn't actually know James Potter. What were his qualities apart from his attractiveness? Why did James have so many loyal and devoted friends? Why did everyone Lily cared about also care about James? Why did they always defend James? What was it about James that inspired such trust and loyalty? What was it that she had not seen while she was so desperately trying to not look? This year Lily decided, with encouragement from Remus, to discover the real James Potter and today was the first step; a day long train ride in his company.
Lily was startled out of her revere by the return of food trolley making its third visit to the Marauder's compartment. These magical confections were novel and certainly entertaining but they really didn't measure up after James's pastries and caramel. The trolley witch, was always friendly though so Lily made a purchase. James looked hurt and insulted.
"They aren't for us James, they're for the first years," she said handing him the sweets. "Put them on the table in front of the fireplace, in the common room, for when they first arrive, will you?"
Then she and Remus left the compartment for their last patrol. They'd patrolled the train four times so far without incident which should have been their first warning. No trip on the Hogwarts Express had ever gone without incident. Since they had the night off from patrolling the castle corridors they made sure they put in their fair share of time on the train and kept their eyes on the new fifth year prefects, helping when they could. In what seemed like almost no time the full darkness of the Scottish Highlands dominated outside the train making the windows an eerie, reflective black. Only an hour or so remained of their journey and Lily was getting excited.
The Gryffindor prefects returned from their last patrol just as the village of Hogsmeade appeared, first an occasional street lamp sparkling distantly, growing inevitably brighter the closer they got to the bustling village, their penultimate destination: The Village of Hogsmeade, home to Hogsmeade Station. The train was growing louder now with the sounds of restlessly excited students sliding doors and opening windows, raised voices could be heard, meant to carry to distant compartments. People could be seen dragging their trunks down from the overhead shelves frequently injuring either themselves or their friends in the process.
The Hogwarts Express at last, came to a full stop. Students spilled out of their compartments and filled the train's corridor. Hagrid, The Keeper of the Keys and Grounds was there to greet them all and escort the first years traditionally by boat, across the Black Lake to Hogwarts. They shouted him greetings and he responded, "All right there, Marauders?" There was no view of Hogwarts from Hogsmeade Station and that seemed purposeful so as to make its first sighting from the little magical boats all the more awe inspiring. It was a memory no student ever forgot.
The horseless carriages awaited them as they disembarked the Hogwarts Express with shouts of gratitude to the engineer, eager for the final leg of their day-long journey. With the witches now in one horseless carriage and the wizards in another they finished their summer migration. These magical carriages safely escorted them up the winding little road in total darkness. The road led to only one destination: Hogwarts Castle.
The ancient magical structure was seated on high and rugged cliffs. The castle was enormous and its secret location atop the cliffs of the Scottish Highlands afforded its inhabitants, a commanding view of the whole of the magical campus: The Forbidden Forest, the Black Lake, the Quidditch Pitch, the Greenhouses, the Owlery and Hagrid's Cabin. As they approached the winged boars, the gates opened of their own accord and the magical wards allowed them to pass then re-sealed behind them as the gates closed. The castle windows glowed with golden candle light and they could see the front stone staircase rise toward the entryway. Lily felt sure that she spotted Peeves the Poltergeist hovering just above the front doors. It was time for feasting and The Sorting. It was finally time for Lily to officially be home once more.