Author's Note: I'm baaack, my pretties! FYI – this is the third part in a series, so if you're new, I recommend starting with Meet Me with a Smile, since I've made some minor changes to canon (nothing earth-shattering) and introduced several OC's into the mix. Otherwise, you may find yourself confused.
To the readers that have been following along – I debated whether or not to skip seventh-year, but I didn't want to gloss over some important canon events, so I'm giving seventh-year its own story. The canon stuff makes it difficult to adhere to a tight narrative, so some of it might read like vignettes, but there will be an underlying plot.
Apologies for my crappy French - PM me if you spot any massive mistakes! ... All right, let's do this.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of J.K. Rowling. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author of this story is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
"Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid."
-Frederick Buechner
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
August 1977
Cokeworth Herald
A flash-flood ravaged Hartsleigh on Wednesday, forcing a coach full of small children off the road and down a hillside. Current reports state that of the 15 children injured, 11 are in stable condition, and 4 remain critical. Authorities don't yet know what caused the flood, but an investigation is taking place.
###
It was the last week of summer freedom, and Lily and Annabelle were taking a break from packing their trunks. They sat on sun chairs in the front garden, sunning themselves and stuffing their faces with muggle goodies. Annabelle cracked open a can of Lilt and took a swig, then smacked her lips together and said, "Ahhh, good stuff."
Lily giggled, her mouth full of salt and vinegar Hula Hoops. Once she swallowed, she said, "Why does summer always have to go by so fast? Wasn't it just June?"
"I don't know, but think of it this way. One more year until freedom."
Lily felt a nervous flutter in her stomach. The thought of careers, living arrangements, and fears over where her friends would end up… would she be living at home with her mum and dad, lonely, wasting her abilities? Would she and James drift apart? Her chest ached at the thought. Also, there had been a sudden increase in Voldemort's activity, which made her bristle at what he had in store. Frank had said to remain vigilant, but vigilant of what? Or more specifically, whom? The future was daunting, and she wished it away, wanting to hang onto to the present for as long as she could.
She was about to tell Annabelle her fears when Max, the fastest owl at Hogwarts, swooped down from the sky and dropped a letter in Lily's lap. The next door neighbour, Mrs. Baird, had been watering her rose bushes and did a double-take as the owl winged away over the rooftops.
"Bloody birds," Annabelle said loudly, shaking her fist toward the sky for Mrs. Baird's sake. "Always dropping rubbish on us!"
Lily choked on her laughter, and Mrs. Baird shook her head and went back to her roses.
The girls ducked inside with the letter, preferring to open it without the woman's prying eyes upon them. They sat down on the sofa, and Lily broke the seal. Her forehead was creased as she pulled out the letter, her eyes scanning the page.
She slapped her hand over her mouth. "Oh my Merlin," she gasped.
"What is it?" Annabelle almost shrieked, not sure if it was good or bad news. Kaye Evans rushed into the room from the kitchen, drying her hands on a tea towel.
"Is everything all right, dear?"
Lily's mouth hung open, her hand fluttering wildly as she stared at the letter. "I… I…"
Annabelle's eyes were wide. She bounced a little on the sofa and said, "What is it, Lil? Just spit it out!"
"I got head girl."
"What?"
Lily tipped the envelope into her hand, and out fell a small badge. The words Head Girl were engraved on it.
"I got head girl!"
Annabelle jumped up and the two girls hopped about, hugging and squealing. Lily's mum hurried over and joined them in their celebration.
"I can't believe it," said Lily. "I wasn't even trying anymore. I… I thought for sure they'd give it to Gloria or that Ravenclaw, Hester Tullet."
"Why?" asked Annabelle. "Your marks were as good as theirs, and you've got the leadership qualities. All the professors adore you. You deserve this!"
"I know, but I hadn't heard anything, and Gloria's a prefect, so I didn't think… James! I have to write James! Or should I wait and surprise him?"
"You should surprise him," said Annabelle.
"Ohh, it might kill me to wait!" Lily began fanning herself with the envelope. "Merlin! I'd given up hoping for this ages ago."
"My daughter, head girl," said Kaye, her eyes misty. "We needed some good news after what happened to those poor children."
"What happened?" asked Lily, her smile fading.
"Didn't you read the morning paper, dear? A flash flood drove a coach full of school children off the road in Hartsleigh. It was a miracle they survived at all. But now we have this wonderful news to think about. Wait until I tell your sister!"
Lily and Annabelle exchanged uneasy glances.
"I doubt she'll be pleased, Mum."
"Oh Lily, you always think the worst of Petunia. I'm sure she will be proud as punch!"
Kaye skittered back to the kitchen and they could hear her dialling the phone. Lily grabbed the morning paper off the end table and the girls headed back outside; neither wanted to hear the strain in Mrs. Evans' voice when Petunia's reaction wasn't what she'd anticipated.
Strangely, Lily didn't feel the triumph over Petunia that she thought she would. After the whole Wide-eye Potion drama and James' wise words, she'd gradually lost her need to prove herself to her demeaning sister. Becoming head girl was something to be proud of, but she no longer cared how Petunia felt about it. Now, her relationship with her sister consisted mainly of enduring her, and trying to keep some semblance of a bond for their parents' sake, even when Petunia had broken that bond long ago.
But the story about the children had dampened her excitement.
"How awful," said Lily, after she read the article about the flood aloud.
"A flash flood… how strange."
They exchanged ominous looks, both too afraid to voice their thoughts.
Finally, Annabelle said, "Do you think it could have been…?"
Lily couldn't stomach the thought. "I hope not," she said abruptly, glad that if it was caused by Voldemort, he didn't succeed.
The girls got up extra early the next morning, and after loading their trunks into the back of the Evans' estate car, they settled in for the long journey to King's Cross Station in London. Lily's head girl instructions indicated that she would have to be at the station an hour before the train departed to oversee the proceedings and lend support when needed.
"This whole magic thing worked out better than I ever thought possible," Mr. Evans said as he pulled out of the driveway. "A head girl in the family. I'm so proud of you, Lily."
Lily smiled, happy that they were happy. "Thanks, Dad."
Three hours later, after a couple pit stops, several sing-alongs, and one ceaseless discussion over who might have been named head boy, the girls said goodbye to Lily's parents. Annabelle thanked them profusely for allowing her to stay with them, but Kaye quieted her with an embrace and said, "You are always welcome in our home, Annabelle." Annabelle's eyes warmed with tears.
"Write soon, dear!" Lily's dad called.
The girls wheeled through the barrier at Platform 9 ¾ and spotted James and Sirius almost instantly. James looked busy, directing first years and answering questions that parents seemed to be bombarding him with, while Sirius casually leaned against the wall, an amused half-smile gracing his perfect lips.
"I wonder why they're here so early," said Annabelle, her heart growing wings at the sight of him. The boys were usually the last ones there, sometimes arriving mere seconds before the train left the station.
"James!" Lily called, and he turned his head in her direction. She ran to him, and he swept her into his arms, squeezing her tight. "I have to tell you something," she said.
"And I have to tell you something."
She loosened her grip on him and grinned, bouncing on her toes. "You first."
"No. You first."
"No, you!"
"Okay," said James. "You are never in a billion years going to believe this, but I promise you, it's entirely, one-hundred percent, the truth. Not sure how, but I'm not lying. I prom-"
"Go on, tell me!"
He held his head high and said, "You are looking at the new head boy."
Lily's mouth fell open.
"I told you it was unbelievable," he said, "But it's true. See?" He pulled out a folded paper from his pocket. "I got this letter a few days ago. At first I thought it was a prank, but my dad owled Dumbledore to confirm, and it's true. Say something, Lil."
It was better news than she could have imagined. They'd have an official excuse to spend loads of time together.
"I'm just… amazed…"
"I know what you're thinking, Remus should've got it. I happen to agree with you – "
"No! I mean, Remus would have been a great head boy, but you deserve it as well. Your marks were high last year, and Dumbledore respects you, James. He really does."
They all knew that Remus was only briefly in the running for head boy. Dumbledore had sat him down at the end of last year and discussed the pros and cons for someone with his condition being given such a huge responsibility. It would look great on his CV, and future employers might be more likely to overlook his lycanthropy to have a former head boy working for them. On the other hand, Dumbledore worried that it could become difficult to keep his secret. The prefects might notice a pattern to his absences, and no matter what excuses they came up with, someone would likely put two and two together, which meant he'd have to leave school entirely, without taking his N.E.W.T.s. And that wouldn't bode well for his future.
Remus agreed that it was for the best that someone else get the job, and was content to remain a prefect. Fortunately, Claire was back in his life at that point, so he got over the disappointment quickly, too smitten with her to dwell on much else.
"Yeah, I don't know," said James. "I think Dumbledore might've made a mistake, but we'll see."
"Why aren't you wearing your badge?"
"Shite, I almost forgot." He pulled it out of his pocket and attached it to his shirt. "Now, I feel like a complete swot. What's your news?"
She pulled out her own letter and handed it to him. As he read, his smile grew and he let out a laugh. "Now, this is not a surprise at all. That settles it, Lil. It's fate."
"What is?"
"You and me," he said, pulling her close. "We are Mr. and Mrs. Head Boy and Girl. Or King and Queen if you prefer."
"Don't get cocky, James," she said, brushing her nose against his. "This is a job, and you have to take it seriously."
"Oh, I will. Can't let you have all the glory, now, can I?"
Just as he was about to kiss her, he saw some confused parents and their frightened first-year wandering around, clueless.
"And I think I'll let you handle them," James said, nodding in their direction. "I need a break. Being head boy is hard work."
Lily shook her head at him, but inside she was floating on air. Everything was coming together so perfectly, and the future suddenly didn't feel so scary.
Meanwhile, Annabelle ambled over to Sirius and leaned against the wall next to him. She didn't say anything, just smiled and watched the crowd. Sirius glanced at her from the corner of his eye and smiled as well.
"So," he said, "You come here often?"
"A few times a year, actually. You?"
"Same." He nodded slowly and crossed his arms over his chest. "I have to say, I feel like I know you from somewhere. Can't quite place it."
"Yeah? Funny, I don't recall meeting you before."
"No, I'm almost positive we've met. In fact, I think I can jog both our memories, if you'll let me."
Annabelle scooted closer to him. "What did you have in mind?"
Sirius pushed himself off the wall and stood in front of her. "This."
Their lips met, and after a long, languid kiss that made Annabelle feel weak, she said, "Ah yes, it's coming back to me. One more of those should do it."
"My pleasure," he said with a grin, then kissed her again.
"Mmm, yes, that definitely rings a bell. Wait, you're that charming gentleman that accompanied me to the theatre last weekend for my birthday."
"See? I told you we've met. Maybe we should skip this train ride and find a hotel. Get reacquainted. What do you think?"
"Tempting offer," she said. His grey eyes and sly smile suggested what he was thinking, and she actually considered his proposition, but then she reminded herself that this was their last train ride back to Hogwarts after a summer break. The last one ever. "But after this year, we can do whatever we like, and whenever we like, no consequences to worry about."
"You worry too much."
She pressed her lips to his, her fingers sliding through his long black hair. He tasted like raspberry-flavoured Bertie Botts beans, and she knew she'd find a box or two in his rucksack. Merlin, he smelled good, too, like the Devonshire breeze and the Potters' house. He smelled like love. She resisted the urge to bury her face in his hair and inhale. Later, she promised herself.
It had been a week since their trip to the theatre for her seventeenth birthday. Lily and James had joined them to see A Midsummer's Night Dream in London's West End. The next day, James' mother took ill again, so the boys stayed close to home, just in case she worsened. It was longest she'd gone without seeing him since they'd become friends, and while a week wasn't that long in the grand scheme of things, when it came to Sirius, it felt like seven years instead of seven days.
"Galloping gargoyles, get off each other, you crazy kids!" a familiar voice rang out. "There's families about!" Annabelle and Sirius looked to see a smirking Johnny B. approaching. "Nah, I'm kidding. I did the same thing outside the platform just now." A wistful sigh escaped him, his cheeks turning pink.
"Matthew was here?" Annabelle asked as she greeted him with a hug. "I would've come out to say hello!"
Johnny B.'s face fell. "He was in a hurry. Heading to the travel agent to buy a ticket to Sydney. Flies out at the end of the month."
"This month?" she asked. "That's so soon."
"He'd originally planned to leave in August," said Johnny B. "But he kept inventing reasons to wait. You're welcome to come with me to see him off."
"Of course I will. How long will he be there?"
"Six months, then he's going to Spain." He seemed to sense Annabelle's sympathy and said, "Don't worry, I'll find a way to visit him."
"In Australia? I don't think I'd want to apparate that far."
"Neither do I," said Johnny B. "But I'm going to have to. He almost called the whole thing off, but I told him he'd regret it if he didn't go, and that he'd resent me someday for being the reason he missed an opportunity of a lifetime. I promised him I'd visit, and I can't pay to fly there in an aeroplane like a muggle, so apparition it is."
"There's a wizarding village outside of Sydney," Sirius said. "Stonehollow. Maybe you could floo it."
Annabelle shuddered. "That would be the longest, most convoluted floo journey ever."
"I'll figure something out," said Johnny B. with a shrug.
A scream erupted from the crowd and they jerked their heads to see Claire Shaw running to Remus, who had just stepped through the barrier. He caught her as she leapt into his arms.
Johnny B. closed his eyes tightly, and in his best Mick Jagger impersonation, sang, "Coz, wiiiiild horses…couldn't drag me away…"
Annabelle and Sirius snorted with laughter. Apparently, Claire and Remus didn't get to see each other as often as they would have liked over the summer. Claire's parents were old fashioned and didn't want her going out too often with Remus until they knew him better, and Remus' father had been less than supportive of his son pursuing a relationship when he had his toughest year of school ahead of him, and his future depended on him doing well academically. A girlfriend was a distraction, he'd told him. And with the sickness before and after the full moons, and his father watching him like a hawk, it had been hard to sneak away to see Claire.
"He looks happy," Annabelle said. "Look at that smile."
"Probably feels like a freed convict," said Sirius.
They made their way into the train, leaving the head girl and head boy to their duties. Alice entered the compartment where Sirius, Annabelle, and Johnny B. sat, wearing a black beret perched at an angle and big black sunglasses that hid half her face. She'd spent the last two weeks of the summer holiday in Paris with Frank.
"Bonjour, mes amis," she said. Annabelle almost crushed her with a hug, then Johnny B. did the same. Sirius was a bit more reserved in his greeting, giving her a polite peck on the cheek.
She did a posh little strut to the seat and sat down across from Annabelle. "Vous m'avez manqués, et vous?"
"Bien sûr," replied Sirius. He was the only one who had a clue what Alice was saying. "Comment était Paris?"
"C'était incroyable."
"Je suis heureux d'entendre ça."
"Now in English, you pretentious pureblood snobs," said Johnny B.
Alice elbowed him in the arm. "I just said I missed you all, and wondered if you missed me. And Sirius said you did, indeed, miss me, and asked me how Paris was. I said wonderful."
"I can't help it, but I'm so envious," sighed Annabelle. "I must see it for myself someday."
"Someday?" said Sirius. "We can go any time you want. Just say the word."
He squeezed her hand, and her heart did a little flip at the thought of wandering the streets of Paris with Sirius, stopping for crepes and café au laits, perusing the Louvre, looking out over the sparkling city at night from the top of Eiffel Tower… it was a heavenly daydream.
"You would love it, Annie," said Alice. "And I can tell you all the best places to go."
The door to their compartment burst open, and Peter barrelled in, falling to the floor. "Hurry! Someone lock the door!" he screamed. "They're after me!"
Alice pulled out her wand, said "Colloportus," and the locked clicked. They were about to laugh at Peter's theatrics when Amycus Carrow appeared outside the door. He rattled the metal latch, but found himself thwarted, not to mention outnumbered, and pounded a fist on the window. His grimace was so hate-filled that Annabelle held her breath, momentarily paralysed. Wands were drawn, and Sirius leapt from his seat, his wand pointed directly at the offending Slytherin, but Amycus bolted back in the direction from which he'd come.
"Scumbag," Sirius muttered, and collapsed onto the seat. He gave Peter a small kick. "What the hell was that all about?"
"He called me needle-dick, so I told him to piss off."
"That's all? He chased you for that?"
"What? You think I'm lying – that I said something worse? I'm not looking to get on his bad side. He's mental!"
"That's true," said Annabelle. "He's a lunatic."
"Next time, don't say anything," Alice said, pulling her sunglasses off. "It's not worth getting tangled up in a bloody war with him and his mates."
"So I'm just supposed to let him call me needle-dick?"
"Why do you care?" asked Johnny B. "It's not like he's actually seen your dick."
Sirius choked out a laugh, and Peter glared at him. "What's so funny?"
He cleared his throat in an attempt to stop laughing. "Nothing."
Peter got up from the floor and plunked down next to Annabelle. He opened his rucksack and pulled out a wizarding comic book called "The Mage's Revenge" wherein the drawings actually moved. Another person appeared outside the door, and they instinctively drew their wands again, except for Peter who was already engrossed in his reading.
"Unlock the bleeding door, you wankers," Caradoc said through the glass.
"Sorry," said Johnny B. "Alohamora." The locked clicked open. "We thought you were Amycus Carrow."
Caradoc dropped down next to him. "Am I that ugly?"
"Not even close," said Alice.
In fact, Caradoc was rather cute with is his shaggy, golden brown hair and a scattering of freckles across his nose. Alice had a crush on him during second year, but then he'd burped in her face in the corridor and she quickly lost interest.
"Why, thank you, Alice. You're not that ugly, either."
She gave a slight eye-roll, and slid her glasses into her pocket book.
Without James and Lily around, the journey to Hogwarts felt different than previous years. Strange, even. They popped in every now and then to say hello and to rest for a bit, but inevitably a problem would arise or some inept prefect would ask for help and they'd be off again. Remus took turns with the other prefects patrolling occasionally, and came by once to say hello, but he spent most of the trip tucked away with Claire.
As for Fairfax, he wasn't there at all, having taken the Hogwarts Express for the last time in June. He was currently a reserve Beater for the Kenmare Kestrals. A scout had apparently been at the last Quidditch match - the one against Slytherin - and contacted him just before he was about to accept a job at The Green Banshee in Hogsmeade. His relationship with Mary MacDonald was still a real thing, which astounded everyone. It was his longest relationship, by far.
Annabelle felt a wave of nostalgia roll over her. The year had just begun, but life as they knew it was already changing. She rested her head on Sirius' shoulder, and told herself that change wasn't always bad, even if it felt that way at first. As long as she had her friends, she could face whatever was to come.
Later that evening, after announcements and the Sorting Ceremony were finished, Lily and James joined their friends at the table.
"I'm knackered," said James. "This head boy stuff is crap."
"You've only been at it a day, you lazy sod," said Caradoc. "Give it chance."
"Right," said Alice. "You're a role model now."
Sirius, Remus, and Peter snickered under their breath, and James grinned in spite of himself.
"The first day is always mad," said Lily. "Things will settle down soon. And don't let him fool you," she said to the others. "He's doing an excellent job."
"Just think," said Annabelle. "Now you can take a bath in that enormous tub."
"I could have done that last year," said James. "Quidditch captains are allowed to use it. The few times I tried, someone was always in there."
"We should have a party in there," said Johnny B. "We could all fit with room to spare."
"Not a bad idea," said James.
"Bad idea," said Lily. "We can't go breaking rules just because we have privileges now. That would be wrong. Remus never abused his power as prefect, did you Remus?"
"No," he said. "I leave the abuse of power to the Slytherins."
"Heh." James glared across the Great Hall. "That's going to change this year. Their reign of terror is over, starting now."
"Hear hear!" said Sirius, raising his glass of pumpkin juice. "To ending their reign of terror, once and for all. I'll help."
Caradoc raised his glass as well. "Count me in."
The boys reached across Lily and Annabelle and clinked glasses, but the girls exchanged wary looks.
"Don't mess them about too much," said Annabelle. "You know they're dangerous."
"Dangerously stupid," said James, and Sirius burst out laughing.
Annabelle glanced at Sirius, her chest tightening. She hoped they were just running their mouths and showing off, otherwise it was going to be a long, disastrous year.
"Count me in, but only if they strike first," said Johnny B. "I'm a pacifist."
"So am I," said Peter. "A pacifist. A peace-monger."
Everyone knew Peter wasn't so much a pacifist as he was frightened, but instead of embarrassing him like they might have done when they were younger, James and Sirius bit their tongues. Annabelle knew it was killing them not to make a joke at his expense, but for once, maturity won. Maybe they could be mature in their dealings with the Slytherins, as well, and no one would get hurt. James and Sirius were skilled duellists, easily able to hold their own against a fellow student, but they possessed one thing Amycus Carrow and his band of monsters seemed to lack: consciences. Annabelle glanced across at Amycus Carrow and remembered his face on the train; it had been blind with rage. His eyes met hers, and she looked away, her stomach giving a painful lurch.
"Let's all be pacifists," Lily said.
"Sure," said James. "Peace, love, and liquorice snaps."
But from the look he shot Sirius, it was clear he didn't mean it.
A/N: Please review - let me know if you're with me! Also, forgive any typos, I'm terrible at spotting them. (Thanks, Colleen, for the French help!)
