An old tradition at Hogwarts was the great boat race. The legend says that Rowena Ravenclaw and Godric Gryffindor were having a very bad fight on the first day of spring. She was upset because Godric was sending a lot of time working on the school and spending less time with her. Thinking that they had no future together Rowena decided to leave Hogwarts and find her work elsewhere. She was across the lake by the time Godric realized she was gone. He then paddled a boat across the lake only to find Rowena waiting for him on the other side. "I could not leave you," she told him. They returned to Hogwarts together, not saying a word the whole way. As the sunset behind them they kissed. An unspoken agreement was made between them that day. They stayed together for the rest of their lives and no matter how busy either of them got they know that they loved each other. The great boat race occurred ever year as soon as the ice melts on the lake. A hero was chosen from each house, along with a maiden. The hero races across the lake and the first to return with their maiden wins the title King of the lake for that year. There is always a party after the race that usually lasts long into the morning. Traditionally you had to do what ever the Lake King tells you to for that night but in 68 the king misused the power. McGonagall told her sixth year Gryffindors that now and day the King could only ask for a dance or a drink.
"I hope this new rule does not upset you Mr. Black?" Sirius Black jumped at the sound of his name. He had been writing on an odd piece of Parchment. He smiled "Yeah it does! I was going to ask you for a kiss." Luckily the bell rang before McGonagall answered. Instead she yelled after them "Today at dinner we will announce the hero's and the maid's. Remember that this is a tradition dating back to before you were born!" Alice giggled as she and her best friend, Lily Evans, walked down the hall. "Do you think Frank will get in? He is very brave." Lily laughed "And I bet you will be the maiden giving him a kiss in the sunset. God, can you believe this. We ladies wait at a shore for the men to come save us. What time period do we live in?" "I think it's romantic. I mean how Godric went after Rowena….Oh Lily I used to think you were just like Elizabeth Bennet but now I see you are just like Charlotte." Lily sighed "I hate it when you use Pride and Prejudice to explain my life and how I'm doing something wrong. Could you explain what you mean by that?" "Elizabeth is a strong women who waits for the perfect man and sometimes I feel you are more like Charlotte, who settles with a complete idiot because she feels she can't wait anymore. I bet you would have chosen Mr. Collins over Mr. Darcy!" "Alice, I love you but I HAVE NO IDEA WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE!" "You really should read the book. I have a copy somewhere……here we go!" Alice pulled out a small leather bond book that contently fit in the front of her robes. "I have Sense and Sensibility in my jumper and a copy of Emma right up my…" "Stop Alice I don't want to know this!"
There was a laugh behind them, when Lily turned around she became faced to face with James Potter. "I'm sorry Miss. Evans. I really should watch where I'm going," Then with a bow he left the two standing in the hall way, starring at each other. "He's been acting like that all year Alice. What do you think his problem? He's always so formal, like he never liked me at all." Even though Alice wanted to yell "he's in love" she thought better of it and replied, "Why should you care? It's not like you like him. No indeed, you put Potter right in his place. You showed him that he had no chance with you at all, right?" Lily didn't answer. She was starring done the hallway that James took. Alice smiled.
After dinner that night everyone sat at their tables, waiting for Dumbledore to speak. After what seemed like an eternity he got to his feet "The great boat race is more then just some romantic story and paddling a boat. It is a time honored tradition dating back to the founders. Tomorrow I want you all to remember that Hogwarts would not have been the school that it is today if Godric Gryffindor had not gone after his love. Ever stallion needs his mare. Ever Lord his lady. This has been true since the dawn of time. Two students will participate from each house. That does not mean that the hero must rescue the maiden from his house. When you are called you are asked to come up to the great table while the other students leave. Let's start with the hero's. From Ravenclaw we have Frank Longbottom, from Hufflepuff William Powell, from Slytherin Severus Snape," A loud doggish laugh rang out though the great hall. Every eye turned to Sirius Black. Lily was happy to see that James did not join in. In fact he was trying to get him to stop.
"And from Gryffindor James Potter. Now to the ladies: From Ravenclaw Stacie Turnbleath, From Hufflepuff India Markens, From Slytherin Nasicassa Black, And from Gryffindor Lily Evans." Lily tried to make herself look as little as possibly. "Lily I think you need to go up there." "No Alice! I can't go up there." "So what do you plan to do?" "Make myself invisible." "Lily that might be kind of hard because everyone is looking at you," And they were. Every head was turned to look at the pretty little redhead trying to hind behind her friend. Lily gracefully walked up to stand with the others by the great table. India and Narcissa were both trying to out do each other. No one was taking pictures but both girls seemed to be posing. Stacie Turnbleath, a shy girl who had just gotten her braces off, looked even more scared then Lily herself. Lily stood by herself watching the cat fight that was about to unfold when James came up behind her. "Some Gryffindor you make Evans. What were you doing? Trying to hide." Lily smiled "You've caught me Potter." They smiled at each other and seemed to be lost in the moment. When they both realized what they were doing they looked down embarrassed. After the rest of the school left the great hall the teachers gathered around the group.
Lily grabbed Professor McGonagall's hand and pulled her away from the group. "I can't do this. It's demeaning to women everywhere. Only a complete idiot would want to stay and wait for men to decide to come save her." Just then Narcissa announced that she was the fifth generation to be a maiden. "My great grandmother married her hero. My grandmother her's. My mother even married her hero, my father." She then turned to face James. "So who will be my hero?" McGonagall laughed "I see what you mean. I was a maid when I was in sixth year. My hero was Eugene P. Gartner. He was kind of a wimp. I had to do all of the rowing on are way back.
I know this isn't inspiring. Rowena Ravenclaw went against her father's wishes when she ran away to start Hogwarts. He had planned for her to at sixteen marry a fifty year old pureblood but she would have none of it and was disowned by her father and brothers. She and Helga Hufflepuff were outspoken and were working for witches rights all over England. Rowena's daughter was the first female member of the council. Lily, Rowena Ravenclaw was not a meek little maid who needed a man to save her. She just wanted Godric to work for it." The girls were taken to a room where they were measured for the flowing white gowns they were to wear. Tomorrow morning they were to meet at five in this classroom to get ready. When they were done they would be taken to the other side of the Lake to wait. Lily decided to leave after she got a dress. The last thing she heard as she walked out the door was Narcissa fighting with an old woman over her dress bust size.
On their way upstairs Lily and James ran into each other again. They walked back to the common rooms talking about their families. James found Petunia hilarious and thought he and Sirius could "Shut her up." When they reached the fat lady James grabbed her hand, "Who are you hopping for." "What?" "Who's going to be your hero?" Lily didn't know what he meant by this. Was he talking about the race or something more? Lily looked into James eyes but was left only with more questions. She started up the stairs, turning back only once to see James looking up at her. That night she debated with herself. She could either take care of her love life tomorrow or Alice's. Or maybe, just maybe, she could do both.