December 1977

The Gryffindor common room flickered with reflected flames. The girl lying on the sofa had her eyes shut and her arm thrown above her head, and yet she was obviously not asleep. Her shoulders were tense and her eyelashes flickered, her lips moved quietly, reciting facts under her breath. It was an odd contrast between the relaxed pose and the reality.

This girl's hair was as red as the hangings that covered the walls of the common room, and it shone by the flames as though it was a part of them. She was tall and she had cheekbones that cut across her face in the manner of a knife slash, and although she tended towards the skinny, gangly side when she stood, her figure was displayed to the best advantage when reclining.

She didn't think of that; her mind was preoccupied with worse things. Outside the safe, warm school shadows were brewing; people with things to prove and malicious intentions flocked to the dark figure who swirled them around him like a cloak, keeping abreast of the politics that he was so suited for and maintaining a harsh power over all the creatures of the night.

The redheaded girl finally dropped off, and she dreamt of a woman with strong curly black hair and eyes filled with insanity, a laugh that filled her strong shoulders with ice and a flash of green light.

And when she eventually awoke to the noise of her fellow students, her mind was made up, and her eyes shone with new decisions. One could almost see the shape of a phoenix floating in their emerald depths, and there was a strong zealousness in them that made people shy away.

She folded her long legs up and strode out of the portrait hole. It was late afternoon on a Saturday and the corridors of the old castle were filled with pupils heading their way like a stream of fish. Finally spotting the person she was looking for, the girl dove into the stream with the manner of someone who would rather be somewhere else and pulled a boy out by the arm, dragging him into an alcove by the side. They achieved a few odd looks, but most of Hogwarts were used to strange things happening, especially if it was to do with the volatile Head Boy and Girl.

"Potter," started the girl.

James Potter looked at Lily Evans. His hair was as messy as usual, yet his brown eyes were shuttered and blank, and they sent a shudder through her. Nevertheless, she carried on. "I think I know what I'm going to do, once I get out of school."

It was said breathlessly, and she looked at him hopefully. He looked confused and bewildered. "That's lovely, Evans, but why are you telling me?"

His voice is not cold, exactly, that would be too much emotion. It was exactly the same way he spoke to people he didn't know very well, and it hurt her.

Her mind was as blank as a piece of parchment. Not a drop of ink to be seen. She shook her head and tried to drag her mind from paper metaphors.

"Your dad's head of the Auror department!" she blurted, and she blushed tomato red, even though she was actually quite proud of herself.

"Oh!" said James, and she grinned in relief. "So you want to be an Auror."

"Of course I do. I mean, that's all a muggleborn witch can do, right? What with what's going on, etcetera."

"Yeah." He shifted uncomfortably in the small space, and Lily could almost pretend that he cared. "I'll put in a good word for you, then."

He stepped sideways into the veritable flood that was emerging in the hallway, and Lily was instantly reminded that she had, in fact, slept through lunch by a pang in her stomach. There was a pang in her chest to match, and she wondered whether this was because he was walking away from her, rather than the other way round.

"Wait!"

It was ripped from her lips in an almost involuntary cry, and he turned. People parted around him like Moses in the red sea, and he raised one eyebrow. "Yes, Evans?"

She blushed again and fumbled for words.

Not one scribble on the parchment…

"Erm…"

Luckily, James took pity on her, and his eyes softened for a second. "Well done, Lils. Nice choice."

The old nickname soothed her ruffled feathers, and she smiled. Then he was gone.