Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me. All rights go to JK Rowling/Warner Bros. I do not profit in any way.
Lily's Story
Chapter 1
Last year, thought Lily sadly, as she pushed her trolley down the platform.
And indeed it was. Lily absentmindedly fiddled with the head girl badge pinned proudly to her chest as she watched the first years approach the solid brick wall. It seemed like so long ago that she had been here as a first year herself.
Eleven-year-old Lily Evans was fairly uncertain about running through a solid brick wall. When her best friend of the time had first told her the procedure to get to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, she'd been fairly surprised, that was for sure.
"Are you sure Sev?" she had asked, "I mean, it's impossible!"
"Would I lie to you, Lily?" He asked her, his deep black eyes warm and patient.
"We have to walk through a brick wall?" she squeaked.
"Yes. You, Lily Evans will walk through a solid brick wall on the first of September. Are we clear?" he smirked, looking up from the grass he was absent-mindedly picking at, and back into her equally green eyes.
Lily didn't feel embarrassed around Sev. He was always explaining things to her, about the new world that she would be entering in a month's time. Sometimes though, she wished that she knew more. She wished there was a book – an encyclopaedia on everything about the wizarding world. She'd like that – then she wouldn't have to keep bothering Sev... maybe she could even teach him something for a change!
Sev had said that having non-magical parents wouldn't affect her at all at Hogwarts, but yet Lily still felt inadequate. She was no good at being normal, Tuney had made that perfectly clear in the previous months; but if she was deemed to be abnormal, she at least wanted to be good at it.
Tuney. She'd told Lily to stop calling her that.
"Tuney is what my sister called me. You're not my sister, you're just a freak. So stop it. Or even better, just stop talking to me altogether."
Petunia had been sent to her room and grounded for a week for that comment. Not that Lily had told – Petunia had unwisely said the whole thing in front of her parents. Lily had begged them to let her sister off with the punishment – it would only make her hate her more. Her efforts were to no avail of course, she'd been fobbed off with an "Of course your sister doesn't hate you, Lily. It's just a phase, you'll see."
Yeah right.
Thinking of her sister, tears began to gather in Lily's green eyes. She tried to blink them away quickly, but it was no good. Severus had seen.
"Lily?" He asked, concerned. "Are you crying?"
"No," she said, but her voice broke – exposing her lie.
She could see Severus hesitating – she knew he hated any form of physical affection. To her surprise, he made up his mind, and put his arm round her.
"Tuney hates me," she whispered. Severus didn't say anything, but Lily could have sworn his arm had tightened slightly around her shoulders.
XXX
Seventeen year old Lily snapped out of the memory, and wiped her eyes, hoping nobody had noticed the head girl; alone and crying on the platform.
What she didn't need this year was a reputation for being weak. Things were getting worse in the wizarding world, and being a Muggleborn, well, it was essential that she showed her strength.
"Hey, Evans!"
She just about stopped the string of obscenities passing her lips. Maybe she should just sprint straight through the stone barrier. There was no point though, she figured. He would follow.
Lily blinked again; hoping her eyes weren't red, and turned round to face the boy who had been the bane of her life since their very first year.
"What do you want, Potter."
He looked rather taken aback. Lily supposed she was rather snappy, but really – what did he expect. He was Potter, and She was Evans.
And she guessed he had caught her at a bad moment.
He snapped back into Potter-mode though; his confidence unwavering. "Just wanted to congratulate you on getting Head Girl, Evans," he said, nodding at the badge. He hesitated for a moment, staring absently at the badge. Lily sighed.
"Save it Potter. Don't think I don't know that was just an excuse to stare at my chest," she said tiredly.
With no further ado, Lily turned her back on the boy with the messy hair and square glasses, and pushed her trolley towards the solid stone barrier, breaking into a run as she got closer.
"What? No! But... Evans!" She heard him call, as she sunk through the stone, onto the other side of the platform.
Despite her predicament, and the sudden wave of memories, the sight of the legendary scarlet steam train still made her smile.
It was the first of September, after all, and Lily Evans was ready to board the Hogwarts Express.
"Lily! Congratulations! I'm so proud!" Alice Prewett nearly tackled Lily to the ground as she walked into their usual carriage. Lily giggled, and hugged her back.
"Thanks Alice," she said smiling, to the short girl with the dark hair and sparking eyes.
"We knew it!" sang a voice from behind Alice. "You were made to be Head Girl, Lily Evans!"
"Thanks, Marlene!" said Lily, hugging her more reserved best friend – although she supposed it wasn't hard to be more reserved than Alice.
Lily stood back and looked at her best friends – one a foot taller than the other.
They had changed so much since first year, but still, Marlene's blue eyes shone vibrantly, her blonde hair grown down to her waist in waves. Marlene always insisted that the neither-straight-nor-curly hair annoyed her, but Lily thought it was gorgeous.
And Alice, with her short black hair and bright brown eyes. Incidentally, it hadn't always been so short. After a disastrous potions lesson in which Alice had managed to set fire to her own hair, she had insisted that Lily sever it with her wand. With much protest, she had obliged, terrified of making a mistake. Luckily, Alice loved it; the cut looked great on her.
"Err, Lily, what's with the staring?" Alice asked, with an amused smile.
Lily grinned, "Just thinking about how much I love you guys," she said sweetly, pulling them into a hug again.
They laughed, and the three of them hugged tightly.
They stood there for around ten seconds before Marlene pushed them away.
"Sorry to interrupt the hug-fest Lils, but shouldn't you be at the prefect's meeting... you are leading it after all,"she said, pointing to the battered golden watch upon her wrist.
"Shit!" Lily yelped, and swung open the compartment door, ignoring the jibes from Alice and Marlene about the use of such foul language from the head girl.
She tore down the train, ignoring the giggles from students, and flung open the door of the prefect's compartment.
"Sorry I'm so late," she said, shutting it behind her without looking round.
"Err... it's alright, Evans."
No way.
She couldn't be correct; it was impossible. There was no chance – Dumbledore would have to be insane.
But sure enough, Lily Evans' worst fears were confirmed. James Potter standing at the head of the meeting, the shiny Head Boy badge pinned to his robes.
Lily always had questioned Dumbledore's sanity.
XXX
A/N: Yay! A new story! I hope you like it – let me know what you think :)
P.S. Those of you who read Enough Trouble for a Lifetime – I promise I'm not abandoning it! It will still be updated – honest!