Disclaimer: AU. I do not own any of the characters as they belong to the awesome JK Rowling. I do not own the storyline as it is loosely based on Pride and Prejudice and belongs to Jane Austen. I just love the characters Lily and James so I am writing this fanfic.
As the train pulled out of the Kings Cross Station, a young woman was barely able to suppress her excitement.
"Welcome on board Hogwarts Express!" boomed a voice from the speaker in the tiny compartment.
The auburn haired woman looked to her only companion and both shared huge grins. They were finally going to Hogwarts: the city of dreams! It was the London of the wizarding world and if anyone wanted to be anything it was the place to be.
"Can you believe it? We are moving towards that future that we have always pictured Tunia!"
"I know right? We will have freedom finally! No one to hound us at all times, Lily. We can go shopping and dancing," exclaimed Petunia.
"Well I am glad for a little bit of freedom myself. I can't wait to start work. I can't believe I got it out of so many applicants!" answered Lily.
"I don't know about work," the blonde said with a smirk, "but I can't wait to meet all the big city rich guys. I just know I will find the rich and perfect man."
Lily just shook her head and chose to ignore that comment from her sister. They were poles apart. While Lily was excited for the opportunity to be moving to a city of dreams with a great job in hand, Petunia was happy to tag along to get away from their overprotective and sometimes overbearing parents. If she could get a big shot city husband out of the deal then all the better for Tunia.
"Well I hope this train is taking us closer to a good life for both of us," Lily prayed.
"With my looks, I am positive for my future little sis," laughed Tunia. "However, you might want to learn how to dress a little better and upgrade those 'makeup' skills," her sister continued snidely.
Again Lily chose to let that statement slide over. She knew her clothes were simple but they suited her. Like the plane green skater dress she had on. It highlighted her small waist and moderate bust but lightly skimmed over her bigger hips. She wasn't perfect but she accepted her body with all its average flaws and dressed simply.
Looking at her sister's spidery eyelashes and her face covered with thick foundation, Lily refrained from pointing out that makeup was not supposed to be a mask. Like everything, the sisters had differing opinions about what good makeup skills were. There was no point fighting over this at the start of the journey. Luckily Lily was spared from having to answer as the trolley lady knocked on the cabin door.
Already hungry, the sisters treated themselves to all the junk food they could get their hands on. The next half hour went by with them recounting home memories and finishing up all of the food. Satisfied, Petunia finally drifted off to sleep. Lily, however, could not sleep.
She had always dreamed of going to Hogwarts. It was the biggest wizarding city in whole of UK and Europe. All major businesses and all important people lived there. That's where the Ministry of Magic was located and that's where Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was located! She had longed to go to that school when the letter had arrived. But, being an expensive private boarding school, her parents had been unable to afford it for their two daughters. Instead they learnt magic at the local Magical Academy of Yorkshire. It was no Hogwarts, but that's what they had.
Now it was different! She was on her way to the Ministry of Magic. She would be the new Auror in training and that too under Dumbledore; the department head. She seen the man when he had visited her school 10 years ago. She had been a young fifteen year old in an increasingly dangerous world. He had ignited fire in her to help in the cause. She may have had to take up a teaching job in order to support her family after school, but now she was finally headed towards her dream. She would fight the dark forces intent on punishing and pushing her kind of muggleborn witches out.
What was scary was that no one knew who the people behind this dark movement were. She made a promise to her to uncover them and stop them. She could not let anyone take away her years of hard work. She would not let anyone harm her, Tunia and thousands of muggleborns like them.
-xxx-xxx-
"Ouch!" Lily screamed in pain as a heavy case landed on the right foot. "What did you pack in here Tunia? Rocks?"
"Essentials for my new life! And it's not my fault that you were not paying attention to your wand!"
"What do you expect? You are no help at all! The apartment was 10 minutes from the train station. We have been wandering for 1 hour!" Lily cried out. They were lost in this big city and it was already dark out. She was afraid they were never going to find their place.
"Seriously Lily-"
"What do we have here," came a soft voice that made the hairs on Lily's nape stand. She quickly turned around to face two tall men. One had sleek shoulder length hair and the other had hair as dark as the night.
"Two pretty ladies Lucius," replied the dark haired one.
"Thanks Black," Lucious replied sarcastically. He then looked towards the sisters with a smile. The fact that his smile didn't reach his eyes made Lily colder that it was out.
"I am Lucius Malfoy. What are the two of you doing here so late. You know this isn't the area for pretty little things to wander," he said to them as he pointed his wand towards them to make his point.
"Quit scaring them and ask them to leave Lucius," came an irriated voice of a third man. This one was a lean man and a little shorter than Lucius. He had slightly greasy shoulder length hair and looked annoyed to find them there. Petunia looked on with wide eyes at the 3 men.
"Um… Sorry we are new to the city and got lost. We will leave immediately," Lily said and quickly moved in the direction they had just come from.
"Aww! Not to so fast," Black apparated in front of them. "We haven't even been introduced! Just when the night is getting better you wanna leave babe," he laughed while holding his wand towards her face.
"Come one tell us your names at least. We can take you to wherever you want to go tonight," smirked Lucius as he walked closer.
"T-thanks. But I think I just realised where we took a wrong turn. We can manage."
"Come on Red, we don't want anything happening to you and your delightful sister now. You can always make friends here," cajoled Black.
Lily gripped her wand harder, ready to fight. These guys were well dressed but they looked like the wrong kind of guys to be around.
"Expelliarmus!"
Suddenly the men's wands flew out of their hands.
"Why is it that everytime I find you guys, you are harassing someone or the other Malfoy?"
"McKinnon," acknowledged Lucius the blonde female.
"Why babe… you must be tired of running after my brother because you seem to be turning up wherever I go," spat Black.
The woman stiffened at that remark.
"Still the lap dog of the Dark fucking Lord Black?" she countered. That got rid of the casual look from Black's face. Petunia and Lily sucked in a breath. Were these guys really the followers of the mysterious Dark Lord?
"Would love to talk to you loosers but you are on the Ministry's property. Moody and Dumbledore are on their way so you can come with me without any fuss."
Suddenly the greasy haired guy snatched Petunia's wand from her hand and disarmed McKinnon!
"Accio wands!"
Just like that he had their wands back.
"Good one Snape! Sorry babe tonight you might need to come back with us," intimidated Lucius.
He took his wand from Snape and pointed it at McKinnon.
"Crucio!"
As McKinnon began to cry out, Lily got over her shock and pulled out her wand out.
"Stupefy!" she yelled at Lucius.
Before the other two could react, she turned around and quickly disarmed them.
"Confringo!" she yelled and the other two were blasted back with the force of her spell.
She tossed McKinnon her wand and both readied themselves to face the two guys starting to stand. Just then two loud sounds alerted them to the arrival of two new people. There was sudden fear in Black's eyes as he quickly apparated from the scene. He was swiftly followed by Snape.
Lily turned around to face the new arrivals. Her mouth dropped open as she was faced with Dumbledore himself. The wise man with the long beard quickly surveyed the scene.
"Marlene we got your message," Moody said.
"I alerted you as soon as I noticed them lurking around the area Professor. Snape and Black escaped but thanks to this woman here, we got Malfoy!"
"Alastor I believe you will be taking care of this," Dumbledore looked towards his companion.
Lily looked towards Alastor Moody. He looked like wild man with his fake eyeball going in every direction. She had heard that he had recently lost the eye where his magical eyeball now rested. He didn't look like a man whose bad side she would ever want to get on. The sisters watch as Moody cast a spell on Malfoy and then apparated away with him.
"Miss Evans you seem to have begun your work already," Dumbledore said with a pleased smile.
Lily blushed at the praise and mumbled her thanks.
"I believe you arrived at your destination at the right time. Miss McKinnon will be your housemate and she will guide you so you can get some rest after today's work," Dumbledore said kindly.
"Thank you, Sir. I can't wait to start on Monday!" enthused Lily.
"Looking forward to that. Miss McKinnon I believe you have everything in hand here? I will see you both Monday." With that, Dumbledore was gone.
"You are the new Auror. I am Marleen McKInnon. I will be one of your housemates," Marleen informed with a friendly smile.
"Hi Marleen, I am Lily Evans and this is my sister Petunia!"
"Glad to meet you guys. And thanks for the help back there. Some welcome to the city huh?" Marlene asked ruefully.
"It was interesting," Lily ventured to say.
"Terrifying more like it! I am starting to doubt the safety of this place!" Petunia was on her way to hysteria.
"It's ok Tunia. We are safe now," Lily tried to soothe her sister before she could start crying in the middle of the deserted street.
"Well I don't think they will be coming back anytime soon but let's get going to the apartment," Marlene said while looking warily at Petunia.
Lily nodded her head and with the help of Marlene, carried their belongings towards the apartment.
'If the first few hours were full of such an excitement and fear for them, how will the rest of the days play out?' Lily mused to herself as she walked with the two women.
Hi everyone. This is my attempt at writing my favourite characters into my favourite storyline. I hope you like it. Please read and review. Any constructive criticism is also welcome!