So this started out as a cutesy idea when I was watching FIFA this summer and had the thought that maybe Lily played soccer. Of course, this led into a story where someone professed their love for the aggressive striker Lily. Now, I'm not sure how this turned out...All I know is that this story kept me from studying this week. And from working on "Cured." Blame the Muse. -Flo

Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters come from JK Rowling. I own nothing you recognize.

November 20, 1972
14:43

It was an unusually warm November. The majority of the Hogwarts student populace was outside on the hills enjoying the sunshine and the mild weather. Four suspicious second-years were taking advantage of the silent, clear halls to prepare something nefarious. The shortest of the young boys nervously hopped from one foot to the other, whipping his head around to keep his eyes on all entrances to the dungeon corridor. Excitement over being named the sole lookout for this particular prank gave poor Peter Pettigrew more jitters than he had initially expected. So much so that he missed the low voices of an approaching duo.

He did, however, notice the expensive click-clack of boots once the tall seventh-year Slytherins rounded a corner.

"Sirius!" he hissed urgently, and when he got no response from his cool young friend, he called for James and Remus.

"What is it, Pete?" James Potter paused in tying the final knot of his part, pushing his broken and Spell-O-taped glasses back up his nose. He heard the footsteps too, but he also heard the distinctive timbre of the second voice. "Bloody hell, Sirius, Remus! It's Malfoy!"

The Slytherin prefect was notorious for his vicious punishments of Gryffindors caught in the corridors surrounding the dungeons, and seemed to hold a personal vendetta towards Sirius Black. This vendetta was possibly related to his close acquaintance, Bellatrix Black. The fierce rivalry between cousins was becoming legendary at Hogwarts. Andromeda kept herself out of the squabbles, but her older and younger sisters seemed to thrive on the violence of their fights with Sirius.

"Well, well, what have we found here?" Lucius crossed his arms over his chest. He looked particularly gleeful as he took in whom he had found lurking in the dungeons. Of course, all evidence of the prank had disappeared before a strand of white-blond hair had passed the corner of the corridor. "Four Gryffindors far, far out of their territory."

"It's a Saturday afternoon. There is no curfew for another seven hours," Remus Lupin stated calmly. He knew there was no use in arguing, especially with this prefect, but he was willing to hope for a reasonable outcome from this encounter.

Antonin Dolohov grinned in response, his yellow-tinted teeth evident even in the torch lighting of the deep dungeons. Remus looked quickly at the dark-haired Gryffindor beside him, now praying for a reasonable outcome. He saw that opportunity slipping through the narrowed eyes and curled lip of his hothead friend.

"There may be no curfew for the grounds," Dolohov hissed. "But it was made very clear to you that the dungeons are off limits to little Gryffindors after seven at night on Friday and before seven on Monday."

"You mean we're not allowed except during class hours?"

Peter gulped audibly when the black eyes focused on him, the yellowish grin never fading from Dolohov's face. He was obviously regretting having spoken, but he was a Gryffindor for a reason. He would not apologize or look away.

"That is completely ridiculous," a familiar voice spoke from the other side of the hallway. Apparently Lily Evans was even better at silently stalking the halls than the two most notorious Slytherin seventh years. She was standing with her arms crossed over her chest, a snotty look on her face. "You can't forbid anyone from being in this part of the Castle without a Professor's authority."

"Keep out of it, Evans," Sirius rolled his eyes. He disliked the bloody know-it-all almost as much as he hated Dolohov. His loathing for Lucius, however, was on a whole other level.

"I don't recall asking you for your opinion on the matter, Black," she snapped right back at him.

"Oh, how lovely," Antonin laughed. "Little Gryffs squabbling amongst themselves."

"Perhaps Sirius is not as much of a lost cause as Bella would like to believe," Lucius smirked as he slowly slid his eyes over the tall, skinny redhead facing off with him from a safe distance down the hall. "I certainly have more than enough authority to give you a detention, Mudblood Evans, simply for your tone."

"Oh, go ahead, Malfoy." She stomped forward, her auburn ponytail bouncing behind her with the force of her steps. Standing right in front of the blond, she was just as defiant as before, her thin arms crossed once more. "I'm not afraid of you."

"Twenty-five points from Gryffindor for your disgusting attitude," Lucius spoke in a slightly less bored tone, unnerved by how close the young girl stood to him. "Get back to your tower, all of you, before I take more points."

Peter, Remus and James looked ready to go back outside and forget about the encounter, with a bit of reluctance on Remus's part to leave Lily. She clearly had no intention of moving from where she stood until Antonin and Lucius stepped back. And, of course, Sirius took Lily's courage as a challenge. He would not leave until she did.

"Come on, Lily," Remus spoke hesitantly after a moment of silence on all their parts. He noticed the girl's eyes did not break from Lucius's intimidating stare, even at the sound of her name.

"No!" she insisted. "I am allowed wherever Professor Dumbledore has not said is off-limits."

"Listen to your Housemates, little girl," Dolohov warned, taking in Lucius's increasingly tense shoulders. "Get the bloody hell out of here."

"No."

No one expected what happened next, especially Lucius. He leaned his torso forward—almost in a romantic manner—in an obvious attempt to unnerve Lily as she was frustrating him. Her arm came up in a lightning-fast hook, and the resounding thud made everyone freeze where they were.

Lucius dropped on his backside with the force of her blow, his nose already spouting blood like a hose. Lily clenched her fist, jutting her jaw stubbornly when Dolohov's face snapped to look at her in shock.

Sirius grabbed her shoulders a second later and began to drag her back the way she came, abandoning all hopes of completing their prank. He had forgotten all about it as soon as that punch whipped across Lucius Malfoy's face. He did not even wait or listen for his friends' footsteps behind him. He knew within minutes the shock would wear off of the seventh year Prefect, and all hell would break loose.

Lily seemed to sense the urgency and did not protest his lead grip on her arm. The five of them ran until they reached neutral territory, outside by the lake where hundreds of students basked in the sun. Gasping for breath, the five second-years stood for a few seconds before anyone spoke.

"What the bloody fuck?" Sirius finally panted.

Lily ignored the incredulous looks on the four boys' faces when she shrugged and said simply, "I don't like having my personal space invaded."

"But—" Peter started.

"Oh come on, Peter," she rolled her eyes and began to readjust her clothing. "He was being a total prig."

"You hit a Prefect," Remus stated, still in a state of shock. When she merely raised her eyebrows at him and nodded, he shook his head.

"You're stark raving mad," Sirius laughed. He really could not stand her for the most part, but damn some of the things that came out of that girl were amusing!

"Well, I was going to go ask Professor Slughorn for some extra Potions practice, but now that plan has obviously been ruined," Lily finished brushing off her brown cords. "I guess I'll find Sev to go over last weeks Charms."

James, who had said nothing at that point, gazed solemnly after her as she walked away towards a lone boy near the Forbidden Forest.

"I am going to marry that girl."