1.
Guide My Spirit Home
WARNING This story is not wholly focused on either Lily and James' relationship or time travel. Whilst both will have a substantial spotlight in the fanfiction; there are many plotlines, which will contain OCs. A lot of them. So if you don't like OCs, I recommend you leave now.
Also, the way this story is laid out might confuse you. I accept that, though I would like to say this: this fanfiction is about changing the view of time travel, as well as properly explaining what happened in the Marauder Era (in my own version, of course). I have tried to keep the story lines canon, but there are some AU moments in this fanfiction. I promise, though, nothing too significant. Sort of. (I suppose).
Anything that isn't explained immediately, most likely will be in later chapters. Of course, if you feel somewhat lost, feel free to send me a message about whatever you're stuck on. Bear in mind, however, that by explaining I could spoil later plots. (And while you may think knowing what will happen next is exciting, it will ruin the whole plot for you later on.)
"Lily Evans"
Hogwarts Express
It was the first of September, 1977, and the weather was notoriously dull; representing the mood of every British student all over the country. At least, that was what Lily Evans could deduce from her prefect patrols, passing the expressions of boredom occupying everyone's faces.
Lily sighed, sweeping a strand of red hair out of her face. Beside her was a girl with powder blue eyes and blonde curls that descended down her nape, who examined the redhead with a subdued curiosity.
"Are you feeling okay?" Jocelyn Clearwater inquired tentatively, when Lily proceeded to stare at the floor.
Lily lifted her face and smiled half-reassuringly, "Yeah, of course," Lily replied, "Honestly, I'm fine!" She promised resolutely, at Jocelyn's dubious expression.
However, her smile rapidly turned sour when she spotted someone in the distance.
"Evans!" hollered James Potter as he approached; an insufferable grin on his face. "Haven't seen you for a while."
Folding over her arms, Lily replied: "Not without a great deal of effort on your half," she drawled sardonically. In response, James's hand shot to his head, ruffling his hair into a complete mess, a lopsided grin on his face.
"Nice comeback, Evans," James appraised, winking audaciously. He averted his eyes from the redhead to the bashful girl beside her. "Hey there, Clearwater." He greeted politely.
"Good afternoon, James." Jocelyn said in reply.
James smiled briefly. "So, are you two heading for the meeting?" He questioned, before tilting his head towards the dishevelled boy behind him. "So are me and Moony… what a coincidence, right?"
Lily raised an eyebrow. "Not quite, Potter. Lingering in your compartment till you see me walk past doesn't really equal a coincidence." She drawled, irritation laced in her tone of voice.
"Don't flatter yourself, Evans. For all you know, I could've been waiting for Clearwater here." James retorted, an amused smile playing at his lips. Jocelyn shifted awkwardly on the spot.
Lily rolled her eyes. "Yeah, because she's been rejected you for the past five years."
James noticeably winced, "Ouch," he commented, "Not afraid to twist the knife, are you?" Over his shoulder, Lily could see Remus anxiously scrutinising James's expression.
Lily frowned ever-so-slightly. "Well, it gets rather wearisome hearing the same four words repeated incessantly." She replied self-consciously, folding her arms over her chest.
"If you'd just agree, you wouldn't have to," retorted James, his eyes turning hard when Lily looked geared up to argue. "Whatever. I'm going to the Prefect Carriage, I'll catch you later."
Lily watched as the boy in question disappeared into the next carriage, gliding past a giggling group of fifth years who waved feverishly at him. Remus gave her a brief glance, one of subdued disappointment, before he too departed.
Once again, Lily felt the corners of her mouth droop. "I'm not that harsh, am I?" She enquired, glancing in Jocelyn's direction, before returning her gaze to the next carriage.
"No, of course not," Jocelyn was quick to reassure, as the group of fifth years brushed past. "No, not at all."
Lily let out a groan into the palm of her hand. "I am, aren't I?"
Jocelyn grimaced, shaking her head furiously. "No, you aren't! Come on, we need to go to the meeting."
The two girls began a slow trot in James's footsteps, with a permanent expression of shame gracing Lily's face. "You have to say that, because you're my friend."
"No, honestly, Lily. You're a good person."
Lily opened her mouth to dispute this, but someone did it for her.
"She is?" exclaimed Sirius Black, sweeping a strand of silky black hair from his face, and grinning mischievously at the two girls. He was perched against the door frame of a compartment, and over his shoulder, Lily could see Peter asleep with his head relaxed on the window.
Lily sighed exasperatedly. "I was rather hoping to avoid a confrontation with you until classes began." She explained.
"It seems fate decided otherwise, unfortunately," Sirius returned mockingly, an obnoxious smirk on his face. His stormy grey eyes switched over in Jocelyn's direction, who had tried to conceal herself behind the redhead.
"'Looking good, Clearwater. You've done something with your hair?"
A red hue spread across Jocelyn's cheeks, while Lily visibly fumed. "Don't you start flirting with Jocie." She huffed.
Sirius lifted an eyebrow. "Can't a bloke compliment a girl? It's not illicit, you know." He defended himself.
Lily stepped forward, a flush of red across her cheeks. "Be quiet, Black," she warned, dangerously quiet. "I'm Head Girl, so I recommend you return to your compartment at once."
Sirius raised his hands in a surrendering gesture, though there was a blatant scowl on his face despite his efforts to hide it. "Bloody hell, Evans, calm down. Don't you have a meeting to go to?"
Lily gasped, her temper promptly vanished. "Come on, Jocie! We're going to be late!" She exclaimed, grabbing the sleeve of Jocelyn's robe and dragging her to the next carriage.
"See you later, Clearwater!" Sirius's voice echoed behind them.
"Remus Lupin"
Prefect Carriage
Remus felt the tips of his mouth frown, as he watched James stride back and forth the length of the prefect carriage. The bespectacled boy raised both hands to his hair and yanked his fingertips through it; dishevelling it more than most thought possible.
"What am I doing wrong?" James questioned in an overwrought tone. He tilted his head to stare at Remus, a fraught expression on his face. "What have I done to make her hate me so much?"
The werewolf heaved a sigh, propping himself against the wall. "I get the general impression that she thinks you're conceited, I'm afraid." Remus explained delicately.
James opened his mouth for a retort, but he raised a hand. "Yes, I know you aren't, Prongs. But she doesn't, and you don't exactly pretend you aren't around her."
James grimaced, plonking gracelessly on an empty chair. "I don't do it on purpose," he began, before he released a disheartening sigh. "I – I just want her to notice me, you know."
Remus smiled sympathetically, reaching over to pat James on the shoulder. "And she will this year. You're both Heads, now, remember? She can hardly ignore you when you have to work together."
The boy smirked a little despite himself. "She's going to go loopy, you know that? Imagine, a year working with me. She must think she's in Hell." He chuckled, shaking his head.
"I count myself lucky, personally, that I'm not a girl." Remus teased lightly, just as the prefects began to file in.
"Jocelyn Clearwater"
Hogwarts Express
Jocelyn jogged elegantly down the corridor, half-heartedly searching the crowd of fourth years up ahead. Lily had vanished a while ago, probably because she was used to travelling by foot. This left Jocelyn speculating whether she would miss the prefect meeting, and promptly discovered she wasn't particularly bothered. For the first time in seven academic years, Jocelyn Clearwater was rejecting her responsibility.
In school, in any case. His words blared in her mind, constantly on replay. Sirius Black was a dangerous boy to fall for, Jocelyn knew this; of course she did. After all, wasn't it her own deceased father who had told her about people like him? The entire thing was absolutely ridiculous, anyhow, for Sirius Black would not be interested in a girl like herself. He overtly favoured those insufferable, well-liked girls, not her; a Ravenclaw, pretty and accepted but not—
Her trail of thoughts was broken by Severus Snape.
The oily black hair that framed a pale-coloured face, a grim scowl and sinister eyes—it was indisputably so. Jocelyn could only watch as he slipped out of his compartment with a suspicious glance in both directions. Seconds later, he disappeared, and she was left with an unshakable interest. Expecting a compartment full of Slytherins, she peered through the glass panel.
But it wasn't Slytherins.
It was Lily, crumpled on the floor.