Lily Evans sighed as she slowly studied herself in her full-length mirror. She knew that she had changed noticeably during the summer after her 3rd year of school at Hogwarts. And while it wasn't something she was too keen about, there was definitely no changing it. Not that it was all bad changes; she saw curves and her "assets" had gone from a flat nothing to something more noticeable.
Not that she minded to being something different. She always knew she wasn't the most attractive girl at the school since she never really had anyone hitting on her. She wasn't the most social person out there either as she tended to turn to books and studying rather than socializing with other students. But maybe with these changes she could change all that.
But Lily didn't want to put forth the effort to change too much; if someone didn't like her for herself and only her new body, then it wouldn't be worth the change. She'd rather just have the limited social group she had which included her close friend, Chocolate, and be relatively content.
But Lily remembered the time she was best friends with another kid, a boy by the name of James Potter. They had been inseparable since they first met on the Hogwarts train their first year. Since she came from a Muggle family, she knew absolutely nothing about the Wizarding world so everything was quite a shock for her. The first most shocking thing she found out (besides Diagon Alley) was walking into the brick wall at 9 3/4; she laughed at herself after she got over the shock.
James literally ran into her on the train and while helping her up, offered to share his compartment which was empty at the time and he needed to share his numerous snacks he had just bought. During the trip, he had tried to fill her in about the wizarding world that hadn't already been told to her: Quidditch, magic, Hogsmeade, elves, Hogwarts, etc. Ever since that time on the train, they had been the best of friends for nearly two whole straight years until she returned from the Holidays on her 2nd year. He had apparently found some new friends during that time span because he was never around anymore. She'd try and stop him in the hallway to talk but he'd brush her off and say he was late to class. She eventually gave up trying to talk to him, thinking he'd eventually come to her but he never did.
She had been very hurt; he had been her first real friend at the school. Sure, she had acquaintances but no one that matched up to his friendship. For the year and a half afterwards, she was always very friendly on the outside, always lending a hand to anyone that needed it. However, when it concerned James Potter she became very bitter; and by this time, he had become the best friends to three other boys; Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew.
This was also the time that the group became known as the Marauders and were quite the womanizer; minus Remus Lupin. Remus was very friendly to her and she wished him no harm since they'd sometimes study together if they were in the library together.
During the first few months after that fateful Holiday trip and back, she had been very hurt whenever she'd see him during the day at school and had trouble concealing her emotions so she would sometimes cry herself to sleep but eventually got fed up at herself and stopped wasting her energy on someone that didn't care. She was only 13 years old but she knew she was being stupid.
But now, it had been one and a half years since they had been friends and it was now a week before the new school year started. Lily decided she needed to get her school supplies for the upcoming year before it was too late and decided to go with her good friend, Chocolate, to Diagon Alley.
"Oh, come on, Lily! You know you want to.." Chocolate was standing in front of Lily's bedroom door, refusing to bolt from her spot.
"Shove off, Chaco. I will not wear those clothes; they'll make me look bad," Lily replied, eying her bed, which had a short black skirt (the type that shows WAY too much skin) and a low-cut tight blouse; along with a number of makeup utilities scattered along the bed.
Chocolate pulled at the sleeve of Lily's robes. "No, they won't. They'll make you look amazing! Haven't you noticed how much you've changed since school ended? Those 2-size-too-big robes and no makeup are not very flattering anymore and definitely won't get any boys to notice you!" Chocolate placed her arms on her friend's shoulder and twisted her towards the mirror. "Imagine what the boys would say if they saw you with your natural beauty enhanced a little bit."
"Well, quite frankly, I don't want boys to just stare at my chest or my face. I've got better qualities than that and if they refuse to see that, then that's their problem, not mine," Lily grabbed her purse which was filled with what she needed to purchase her supplies. "I have a lot of stuff to buy today for school and I don't want to be bothered with people looking at me; lustful looks or not."
Chocolate sighed and gathered her purse as well. "Okay, I guess. I have to get a quite a few things as well." Chocolate replied. "You can't always hide behind that robe though, Lily."
Lily didn't respond immediately but waited until they were in the hallway. "I know, Chaco, but I'm not ready to change things."
Chocolate sighed softy, patting her friend on the back.
Lily led them into the living room as she grabbed some powder out of a small pot sitting on the edge of Lily's fireplace. "Ready?"
"Sure," Chocolate added, as Lily poured some into Chocolate's hand. "Maybe just some foundation?"
Lily just gave a glare at Chocolate before throwing the powder into the fire. "DIAGON ALLEY!" _
"Why not, Lily? Come on! I promise you it won't hurt!" Chocolate had begun to beg again, which irritated Lily to no end.
"Chaco, I won't say this again. It's true I do want people to notice me more, but if I have to wear a short skirt and make-up, then it's not worth the change." Lily was looking back at her friend as she was talking and the next thing she knew was the wind being knocked out of her as she crashed to the ground hard.
"Ow, " she groaned when she finally caught her breath. She looked up at the culprit and as her vision corrected itself, the first thing she saw were his glasses, instantly knowing it was James Potter. "What nerve.." she grumbled, instantly irritated.
"Sorry." James helped Lily up but he wasn't really paying attention to Lily at all (much less interested in whom he was helping up or knocked down in the first place) and didn't even recognize who she was as he was more fascinated with Chocolate.
"Chocolate.. darling.. you're looking amazing as always," James seemed to coo at Chocolate as he grabbed her hand and placed a kiss on top of it.
What nerve, Lily thought angrily. First he knocks me down and second, he's not even paying any attention to me! He's a 5-star jerk all around!
Chocolate blushed as he kissed her hand. "Oh, you're so silly, James," she giggled as she took back her hand. "What are you doing here? You buying your stuff too?"
"Yeah, just getting my school supplies," James said. "But enough about me, you look amazing, girl. Why are you here all alone?"
"I'm not alone, " Chocolate said, giving a side glance to Lily. James must've not picked up on the eye glance because his eyes were still glued to Chocolate, obviously trying to seduce her.
"Well, I hope you didn't forget me over the summer, babe."
"James, trust me, I'm not your babe. But I'm sure there are thousands of other girls that think they are," she replied. "But James, we really need to be going and getting our school supplies." With that said, she took a step back, hoping James took the hint that the conversation was coming to a close. She didn't mind the random flirts with other boys from school but this wasn't really the time nor the place, especially since the boy was James Potter. Chocolate could almost feel the heat of Lily's anger hitting her in waves.
"Nah, babe, you're the only one that I call 'babe', no one else," James tried his best to give her a charming smile and took her hand in his hand and squeezed it a little before running off. "I'll see you soon."
"Sure, James, " Chocolate said to his disappearing shadow and brought her gaze to Lily. "Lily.." she trailed off, unsure of what to say. On one hand, part of her liked it when boys flirted with her but this was the one time that she wished they didn't. Especially with knowing Lily's past situation with the one that just tried to flirt with her.
Lily felt so much anger in her head. This boy had been her best friend for almost two years and the holiday she decides to go home to visit her parents and then suddenly, it was like she didn't exist. And according to him, she still didn't exist. She felt angry that all the beautiful girls got his attention while he simply ignored those that he probably didn't feel they were worthy of his attention. If you were smart but less gorgeous, you were ignored. If you were dumb as a bag of dung bombs but had the beauty of a veela, he never left your side.
Deep down inside, she knew James was an excellent friend. He stood up for his friends and even those that weren't his friends if something was happening that wasn't right. He had been so protective of her that no one could barely look at her without getting the evil eye from him. He told the absolute worst jokes but they had always made her laugh. Part of her thought that if they could just start to talk again, maybe he'd realize how much of their friendship meant to her and maybe he'd see how much he missed her as a friend.
However, Lily was still unsure if that could ever happen. But if he were attracted to girls that wore more form-fitting clothes and wore a little more makeup than nothing at all, then maybe just a LITTLE make-up wouldn't hurt. Maybe a size or two smaller robes/clothes wouldn't hurt. Heck, she might even like it! If she didn't, she could always go back to how she was before anyways.
Lily's gaze focused and she noticed her friend, staring at her, unsure of what to say or do. She didn't blame Chocolate for not punching James in the face because that's not what she would do; it wasn't Chocolate that he had forgotten about, it was Lily. And even then, part of Lily knew that if James just started talking to her again out of the blue, she'd feel slightly relieved before she'd even think of punching him in the face.
"Chaco.." Lily began, looking at her friend in a way that made Chocolate's eyes go from confusion to "I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING" which slightly annoyed and amused Lily. "Perhaps just a slight improvement of my image wouldn't be such a bad thing," she replied, almost shyly.
"Whatever it takes," Lily continued, giving a small smile at her now grinning friend as she was not quite sure what would happen next. But if it meant people noticing her in possibly more positive ways than one, then it would be well worth the effort.