A/N: Hello everyone! This is my second Harry Potter world fic (the first is An Unworthy Partner, which is a Fred/Hermione fic. It is not in any way connected to this new story). I've always loved reading Lily/James stories, but I find lots are too sad for my delicate demeanor *snort* , or I don't agree with the way young!Marauders or young!Lily is depicted. So, I'm trying this, and I hope I do my mind baby justice.
The timeline is completely written for this story, however, the chapters are not. This means I cannot and will not have a posting schedule. That's never worked for me, and always ends up disappointing people ( and myself) when I can't post on time. Instead, I write as much as I can, and post when I feel it's the right time to.
This is really too long, so, on with the story, yeah?
I do not own Harry Potter, or the world this story lives in.
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LILY EVANS and the UNANTICIPATED FAWN
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September, 1977
… *** …
Platform 9¾ was bursting with excitable first years and their nervous parents, muggle or otherwise, effectively clogging every passageway possible to the Hogwarts Express. Lily Evans took one little jump in place, as if the small glance of the train would allow her to magically move through the crowds.
"Lily, dear, we have to drop Petunia off for tea with Mrs. Dursley." Lily's mother pitched in just behind her, Lily's school trunk tucked next to her feet. The fiery haired girl spins around, her small rucksack bumping against her back. Mild annoyance flits through her mind, but she brushes it off, quite used to Petunia demanding their parents attention; especially if they were ignoring her in favour of anything magical.
"It's alright mum, I thought I saw Marlene near the engine. I'll be fine, and I'll see you and dad at Christmas." Her mother nods, leaving a quick kiss to her daughter's cheek before waving her off, following a small group of parents that were leaving. Lily watches her go before turning back around, no longer concerned with trying to keep track of her luggage as well as her mother. Hefting the trunk up on one end, Lily took the thick leather handle and begins to tug it along, pushing her way as politely as possible through the crowd. Only a few steps away from an entrance, Lily was about to lift the trunk up when a loud shout rang over the crowd, shocking her enough to drop the heavy box, just barely missing her toes.
"EVANS!"
The crown quite literally parted — second to sixth years moved over like it was choreographed, while parents hustled their small first year children back to allow the two boisterous young men to pass them by. Lily could only roll her eyes, and try to hide a small smile as James Potter led Sirius Black through the sea of people towards her.
"You could act like a normal person, and politely ask people to shove over, Potter." Lily says as soon as James is within earshot. Sirius gives her a grin over his mate's shoulder, shooting her a quick thumbs up as well. Oblivious to this deceit from his friend, James grins crookedly, and leans over onto Lily's trunk, batting his eyelashes up at her.
"But I couldn't wait any longer to reach your side, my dear." Lily now really rolls her eyes, and kicks her luggage out from underneath her cheesy boyfriend. The continual use of deer related jokes had already caused her to go numb to the humor over the summer.
"Make yourself useful, dear, and help me with this thing. I think Tunie might have packed it with bricks." Lily took a step back as James stepped up, lifting the trunk up with Sirius assisting with the end of it, both boys able to push it in with one hard shove.
"Petunia actually touched your stuff?" James asks curiously, wondering if Lily's sister had turned over a new leaf.
Lily just shook her head, sighing lightly, "Of course not. Just a figure of speech, I guess."
Sirius gives her a pitying look, aware of how family troubles could affect someone. James, well adept at curing family woes, bundles Lily up into his side, his arm wound over her shoulders, "Never mind her, Lils, the Marauders and I are your family. Who needs sisters?"
Barking out a laugh, Sirius swings his arm up to hug Lily from the other side, "That's right Evans, we'll be your sisters instead."
James wrinkles his nose at Sirius over Lily's head, "That's not quite what I meant, Padfoot."
"Right," Sirius drags out, offering the both of them an over exaggerated wink, "anywho, I think I saw Mar somewhere. I'll see you two on the train. Don't wait up!" Sirius announces over his shoulder, as if Marlene would even allow him two inches near her, let alone cause a hold up for the train.
"Such class." Lily says, watching Sirius disappear into the crowd of people once more. James just shakes his head before turning to face her, and leans down, giving her a soft kiss.
"Hello,"
Lily giggles, ignoring the tiny part inside of her head that gags over giggling, "Hello."
"I missed you,"
"You saw me last week."
"Having tea with my parents doesn't count, I couldn't kiss you once. I could barely hold your hand without my mother glaring at me." James kisses her once more, this time on her temple as he begins to instead lead them onto the train car.
Lily lets his waist go in order to hop up the steps, and waits for James to do the same before moving down the corridor, "She just wanted you to be polite."
"Or she's scared I'll lose you to some dumb comment or movement, and doesn't want you to leave."
Lily nods sagely, "As she should be, I'm perfect."
James grins widely, his left cheek dimpling, "And much too good for me,"
Lily winks up at him, just before turning into the Marauders compartment, "And don't you forget it, Potter."
Watching Lily disappear through the doorway, James listens to Moony and Wormtail greet his new girlfriend happily, his grin becoming impossibly bigger. "Never, Evans," he whispers to himself before swinging into the compartment, greeting his friends.
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The four friends chatted casually, waiting until the train was almost completely filled with all the Hogwarts student body. Once Sirius arrived (clothes creased and a sappy grin on his face), Lily popped up out of her seat.
"Alright, let's go, Potter." James looks up at her in confusion, looking around the compartment like he had lost something.
"Come again?"
"We need to go and instruct the Prefects on patrol."
James sinks into his seat, "Do we really have to? Can't the sixth year Prefects manage it on their own? They're smart, or, at least the Gryffindor boy is."
"Fancy that, a smart male Gryffindor," Lily rolls her eyes, "Present company excluded, sorry Remus, Peter."
"Oi!" James and Sirius pipe up, the latter now shaken out of his horny haze.
Lily rolls her eyes again, "James, we need to go, tell them what to do, and then we'll come straight back."
James pretended to roll it around in his mind, as if he had any choice in the matter, before heaving himself up, and following Lily out the door, mumbling to himself the whole while. Watching them leave, Remus shakes his head before sinking back into the book he had previously been reading.
"I give him two weeks before Lily smacks him for some idiot comment." Remus pipes up from behind the pages. Sirius eyes him up, gray eyes flicking towards the door.
"Three, but she also ignores him for a full day." Remus nods, accepting the challenge silently.
Peter smiles, bouncing once in his seat, "I think she'll threaten a break up instead of ignoring him. It'll push his buttons, and we all know she's too good at that." Sirius and Remus nod, all three silently taking one another's bets.
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"Everyone has their schedules? Good, dismissed. We'll see you at Hogwarts." Lily announces to the car filled with the Prefects. James twiddles his thumbs, kicking at the air waiting very impatiently for everyone to leave. The last Hufflepuff (Pitson, or Porter something) closed the sliding door behind her, leaving Lily and James alone in the compartment.
"That was much longer than you insinuated, Miss Evans." James grumbles, pointedly ignoring the whispery laugh that escapes her.
"You've been to these meeting before, James. You knew exactly what was coming. And you're welcome for planning this all on my own, by the way."
James slides off the table he had been perched on for the whole meeting, and saunters over to Lily's side, "You would have redone it if I had tried to." whispering into Lily's ear always gets him a shiver, and she can't stop herself from arching into his arms.
"That's beside the point,"
"Hmm," James hums, nuzzling his nose along her ear, listening to her breathing hitch.
"And," Lily stutters out, refusing to let the matter go no matter how wonderful James' lips felt on her neck, "S-sirius would have slipped in some line to make me look dumb."
"More than likely," James says, now fully invested in keeping his beautiful girlfriend exactly where he had her, thumbs tracing her hips, and lips busy with her earlobe. Lily allowed the moment to go on, too blissfully happy to try and pull herself away.
James hummed, resting his chin in the crook on her next, wrapping his arms around her waist, "Have I told you how happy I am you agreed to go out with me?"
Lily grins at the wall across from them, turning around his James' arms to face him, lacing her arms over his shoulders to play with his hair, "Yes, but I don't mind hearing it again. I makes me happy too."
James gave her a wonderfully sappy smile, and they shared another soft kiss, melting into one another.
.:* * * *:.
After a less than spectacular Sorting, Lily leaned against the Gryffindor table with a groan, holding her full stomach.
"I don't understand how you always pack away so much food at the first meal. You always complain the rest of the night anyways." Marlene McKinnon smirked, propping her hand up on her chin as she watched one of her best friends mumble into the empty placemat in front of her.
"I don't blame you Lils, Dumbledore always goes all out. But you really think you would learn your lesson after seven years." Alice piped up as well, swirling the last of her whipped cream topped cocoa in its mug.
Lily turned her head, feebly glaring at her two best friends, who apparently had no pity for her bad decision, "But it's the last year, I couldn't not do it fo my last year."
Marlene rolls her eyes, but smiles fondly at her friend, "Alright, but you can explain to Potter later why you can't shag without puking."
Lily went a bit red, but brushed off the comment. She and James had only been dating since the end of last school year, and while they hadn't taken long to really fall in love, Lily was glad James was so gentlemanly and cautious when it came to actually shagging. They'd both decided nothing more would happen until they were completely comfortable, and ready when the time came.
"Oh, speaking of," Alice says in her quiet mousy voice, just as James walks up to the trio of girls. Smiling charmingly, James seats himself next to his girlfriend, giving her friends a friendly hello.
James finally seems to realize Lily is in pain (self inflicted it may have been), and leans into her shoulder, trying to see her face through her hair, "Lily? What are you doing?"
Lily moans a bit, rolling her head over to face him, her nose seemingly permanently wrinkled in distaste, "I think I'm dying."
James looks a little alarmed before realization flashes through his eyes, and his wide smirk replaces his frown, "Is that so? Death by pumpkin pie does have a nice ring to it."
"It was treacle tart." Lily mumbles into the table again, muffling what she says, though James nods along like she had made perfect sense.
"Sorry, how could I forget."
"Merlin Evans, who spiked your drink?" Sirius popped up next to Marlene, invading the girl's personal space. And while she shifted the boy over like he was bothering her, everyone knew Marlene wouldn't wait much longer than turning the corner out of the Great Hall before dragging Sirius away for a snog.
James shoves at Lily's shoulder, forcing her to sit up, still groaning and clutching her overfilled belly, but leans into James' side, using him to support herself in a proper seated position. Once situated, Lily glares at Sirius before she notices there's still one small tart left in the centre of the table. Eyes wide, she stares at it for a moment, eyes flickering up to meet Marlene's before flitting back down to look at the treacle filled delicacy.
"No." Marlene says, shaking her head at her friend. Lily pulls her puppy dog eyes at the girl across from her, causing a coughing laugh to escape Sirius.
"But I know it's so tasty!"
"You are really going to explode, Lils."
"I'll give you a Galleon, Evans." Sirius pipes up and receives a sharp elbow from Marlene, and an added scowl for his unhelpful input.
"You're not helping. Lily, look away from the tart."
Lily met her friends eye, inching her hand over the table, fingers slowing grasping at the tart. Marlene shook her head, glaring playfully, already knowing full well her best friend would not back down now in the face of Sirius Black. Without looking away from Sirius's smirk, Lily shoved the tart into her mouth, happily chewing her last treat.
"Mphew yew Fmiriuph."
"What was that, love?" Sirius asks, smirking at Lily as she leans back in her seat, now contently stuffed.
"I don't think it's something to be said around such young ears, Padfoot." James pipes up, unable to look away from his girlfriend. Sirius rolls his eyes at his mate, and makes to stand up and leave the Hall. Marlene begins to stand as well, pointedly ignoring Alice's knowing look.
"Stop drooling Prongs, or Lily will think you have a food fetish." Sirius leaves with a cheery wave, ignoring the thrown pieces of leftover food from both James and Lily.
Lily sighs and turns to continue talking to Alice, when a warm hand comes down to rest on her shoulder. Turning in her seat, Lily notices the opposite hand of their Headmaster has also landed on James' shoulder. Dumbledore stands behind them, smiling down at the remaining trio of students. His eyes were twinkling, something Lily had always loved about the mysterious Headmaster, as it always gave him a more magical air; especially to a small eleven year old girl who had just learned she was a witch.
"Good evening, did you enjoy the feast?" Dumbledore rumbles, his voice carrying a hidden, giddy tone. Lily blushes, feeling like her teacher was well aware of just how much she enjoyed tonight's food.
"Of course Professor, just as good as the last six years." James says, covering for Lily's small bout of silence. Dumbledore beams down at them, nodding sagely, as if he had created the whole meal. And who knows, perhaps he really had. Lily had a few questions about just how much Dumbledore did for his school.
"Wonderful, very good. Now, Miss Evans, Mr Potter, would it be too much to ask my Head Boy and Girl to meet with me in my office before they turn in for the night. I have a few things from the other professors to go over with you before night patrols begin tomorrow night." Dumbledore released their shoulders, and waited for them both to nod in agreement before he spun around gracefully, and began drifting out of the Hall and towards his office.
Lily stood up, with only a bit of help from James, and waved good night to Alice as they walked away after their Headmaster, hand in hand. A few people still left in the Hall followed their Heads with interest, their robe covered hands seeming to become a heated point of discussion for the students of Hogwarts. Once the two were out in the corridors, Dumbledore waiting just outside the door for them, the old professor chuckled, his eyes twinkling with mirth.
"I see my meddling may have come a year too late, if the student body's rumours are indeed true." Dumbledore smiles, his long beard swaying as he chuckles silently.
James gives the professor a confused look, "Meddling, sir?"
"Yes, I believe myself and Professor Flitwick owe Professor McGonagall five galleons. She truly believed the two of you had begun dating last term, however, I thought you still needed a bit of a push. I see I was wrong. This way." And he spun around, continuing to move casually towards the corridor his office door stood.
Lily and James stood shocked, staring after their teacher as he whistled joyfully down the bare halls of Hogwarts, as if he hadn't just dropped a huge bomb on their heads. James looked over and down at Lily, seeing she was shocked but trying not to laugh after their teacher.
"I was wondering how you managed to nab Head Boy over MacPherson in Hufflepuff."
James gave her a gasp of shock, his hand going up to clutch at his heart, "Lily pad, how could you doubt me so?"
Lily gave him a droll look, and began dragging him with her after their Headmaster, "Never call me that again."
James just shrugged, unconcerned at being shot down, "I'm working on it."
Lily hides her grin, and continues to pull James along with her until he matches her quick pace, and they catch up with Dumbledore enough to only be a few steps away when they arrive at the griffin statue. Both Gryffindors stay well back, aware of just how the magical door opens suddenly. Lily from her previous stint as a Prefect, and James from backlash of many a prank over his last seven years at Hogwarts.
Dumbledore seems to sense they are behind him, "Fizzy Wizzy."
James chuckles at the unorthodox password choice, but leads Lily up behind Dumbledore into the round office space.
"What was it you needed us to hear, Professor?" Lily asked politely, releasing James' hand in lieu of taking one of the seats facing Dumbledore's desk. Dumbledore took his own seat, leaning forward onto the desk surface.
"Mr Potter, please take a seat as well."
"Sure, sir," James quips, but is silently upset to miss the chance to play with the gadgets in the huge office.
"Now, I need to tell the both of you, now that we are safely alone, that I've led you here under false pretence."
Lily frowns at him, unsure what he means. Dumbledore waits patiently, allowing a moment for any disagreeance. However, even James is silent, curious enough to wait.
"I may be in need of the resources you two have available to you, as Heads of Hogwarts."
"Are these 'resources' educational? Or otherwise?" Lily asks, but Dumbledore only inclines his head, neither disagreeing or agreeing.
"Allow me to be more clear; You both are aware of the threat shadowing our world?"
"Voldemort." James says bluntly, causing Lily to shiver, and Dumbledore to give him a stern look, but does not reprimand him.
"Yes Mr Potter, and I'm afraid his sway over many of the pure-blood wizarding families has become stronger over the summer." James' glare became darker, making Dumbledore back track, "There has been an accounted for three murders of known muggle born witches and wizards in the past month."
Lily's jaw dropped, while James' clenched, his fists pressed hard against his thighs. That was the most accelerated number of deathly hate-crimes to date.
"What's being done?" Lily asked, the first to collect herself.
Dumbledore gestured to the three of them vaguely, "This. I've asked you here as a sign of partnership, and invitation to join me and a small group of rebels, working towards stopping the Dark lord from raising, and causing such destruction in the population."
Lily was silent, trying to understand what was being offered to her. James on the other hand looked tensed and ready to jump into battle as soon as possible, a true Gryffindor through and through, "I've never heard of this group before."
"That's because I am personally forming it, and am only asking the most trusted, brave people I know to join me."
Lily only felt a small burst of pride, knowing she had been one of the chosen by Dumbledore himself, and that meant a lot to her.
"What is this group called?" James continued asking, for once taking the lead in questioning, able to collect his thoughts quicker than Lily in this situation. Dumbledore leans back in his chair, steepled fingers underneath his chin in thought, watching the two young students seated before him. Finally, he lifts his chin, not looking away from either student.
"I've dubbed it the Order of the Phoenix."
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A/N: I. Am. In. Love. I've never been able to type anything Jily (James/Lily) without it sounding forced or repetitive. I'm loving this, and I really hope you are too! Please let me know, either through PM or review, how this story sounds to you, and if you'd like to see more!
