Disclaimer: I'm not JK Rowling and I know this kind of story has been done before, but I'm taking my own slant on it.
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The day Lily Evans' life changed forever was just an ordinary autumn Tuesday. Birds chirped cheerfully at dawn outside her window and she just as cheerfully ignored them. Mr Harris washed his car in his front garden with pride akin to that of a father holding his new born son. Lily's mum was watering the begonias in the back garden, while the radio blared out something by an old songstress about a broken heart.
But somehow, Lily thought, with an uneasy sense of anticipation, something was not quite as ordinary about today as she would've liked to believe. Had she felt the need to voice her trepidation to him, Lily's father, would've chuckled and said she was a little bit fey when it came to such matters. Lily loved her father more than anyone else in the world, even a teeny bit more than her mum, not that she'd ever say it of course. But then again, her mother did seem to favour Lily's older sister, Petunia, the epitome of the dutiful and well behaved daughter.
Lily pulled a face at her reflection in the mirror. She didn't want to think about Petty, or her respectable office job, or her steady-as-they-come boyfriend, Vernon Dursley who closely resembled a shaved baboon in Lily's opinion. Not on the last Tuesday of her summer holidays, when she'd be going back to Stonewall Academy for her fifth miserable year.
"Is that burning toast I smell?" Lily grinned as she sauntered into the kitchen wearing an old band t-shirt that had at some stage been her fathers, and a pair of denim shorts that showed off her long and (much her disgust) milky white legs.
"Are you suggesting that I burned toast and hid it in a plastic bag after trying unsuccessfully to feed it to next doors cat? Because, Miss Evans, if that is so-"
"I'd be absolutely right." Lily finished, hopping up on the countertop and peeling a banana, legs swinging cheerfully as she did so.
"Dad, that's the third time this week." She pointed out, mouth full of banana.
"A man does get hungry occasionally, you know. It's not like I can wait for you to get up and make it for me, can I? Not if I want to eat it sometime this century." He leaned over and tweaked her nose.
"I think you've got more freckles since I saw you last."
Lily wrinkled her nose in disgust and went cross-eyed trying to see for herself.
"It's your fault." She told him sourly.
"I had to inherit your genes and receive the freckle curse. And red hair." She added as an afterthought, tugging on a damp, auburn curl absently.
"Well if it makes you feel any better, they look better on you than they ever did on me." Her father winked and settled down at the impeccably neat table, mug of tea in hand.
Lily automatically put down more toast and frowned, looking out the window. It was just her mother out working in the garden, she was certain. There couldn't possibly be anyone else watching her.
"Hmph. Cannons are bottom of the league again." Her father muttered, turning to the next page in the sports section.
"Big surprise. Dorkins would have a heart attack if they actually won a game." Lily commented, referring to the Chudley Cannons long-time manager, who was known as the worst manager of all time. The last time the Cannons won the league was 1892 and chances were, it would remain that way.
"I think I'm gonna go to the park." Lily announced, suddenly, surprising herself as much as her father. It had been her intention to stay in and organise her school stuff today, as she had cheerfully dumped everything school related unceremoniously into the cupboard under the stairs at the start of the summer and she knew her mum would lecture her about it soon enough.
"Oh, ok then. Be careful, alright? That Snape boy-"
Lily shook her head fiercely. She definitely didn't want to think about her former friend on today of all days.
"I'll be back lateish." She told her father, yanking on a pair of sandals that were sitting neatly in the shoe rack by the door. She absently scooped up her still drying hair from her earlier shower into a high pony tail and yanked on her denim jacket.
"See you around." She called after her, not hearing her father's response.
Why had she decided to go to the park? She'd purposely avoided going there all summer; simply because she knew Severus would be there. It had been their childhood haunt. She'd met him there first, she remembered. But they'd been just kids then, carefree and innocent, before Stonewall and before change.
The walk, so familiar to her from bygone days, was the same, but felt different. Lily wasn't sure if it was because she knew Severus wouldn't be there waiting for her, or if it was something else. The uneasy feeling that had been with her before, seemed to increase tenfold when she stood at the battered green gates, making her wonder if she should just go home. But almost as if making the decision for her, the gate swung open.
Lily wasn't quite sure how long she stayed there. It was almost as if she was waiting for something. She wasn't waiting for Severus, she knew that. If she'd really wanted to see him or hear his constant apologies, she'd have sought him out. No, Lily thought, dreamily. There was something else, something bigger, awaiting her. Something life changing, just around the corner.
When it was finally dark, she realised she'd have to go home. She hadn't felt the time pass, but she knew how worried her parents would be, so she hurried. In later years, Lily often wondered if she had walked more slowly, things might have been different. If she hadn't ran all the way home like her life depended on it maybe-
"HOME!" Lily shouted, reaching her front gate and vaulting over it. She wasn't sure why she shouted, but she had some vague inclination of scaring off whatever was chasing her. Which was ridiculous, she thought nervously, glancing over her shoulder at the quiet suburban neighbourhood street. There was nobody there. That didn't stop her scrambling to find her key and dashing in the door.
"Lily?" her dad's voice was hoarse, croaky. Seriously startled at this point, she made her way into the sitting room where her mother and father were sitting side by side on the couch staring wide eyed at the stranger standing in the middle of the room. A very strange stranger he was too, Lily thought, taking in his appearance.
He was tall, thin and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak which swept the ground and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice.
Lily had no idea how, but instantly she knew he was what she had been waiting for all day. Maybe even all her life. Nor was she sure why she instantly felt safe and protected from whatever may or may not have been after her, but she felt immensely comforted by his presence.
"Extraordinary." The stranger said softly and it was then she realised that he was observing her with as close scrutiny as she had been observing him. She flushed bright pink, her head clashing horribly with her hair.
"Who are you?" she asked, feeling terrified and exhilarated at the same time. She was on the brink of changing her life, she could feel it. The stranger smiled widely as if incredibly pleased with her question. He extended a hand and announced in a soft, friendly voice;
"My name is Albus Dumbledore."