The sky was a dull, stone-colored mass of swirling clouds seeming heavy with potential rain. Indeed, the wind seemed to agree, thrashing tree branches and blowing loose bits of trash around. Although this weather was not a rarity for England, to the red-haired teenage girl sitting on the empty, creaking swing-set in the deserted park, it seemed to bring a whole new feeling of despair and uneasiness.

Her long hair blew in the wind, tangling itself in the chain links of the swing, and the girl slowly pushed herself to her feet, plodding over to the bench by the dark-blue slides before slumping down, hunched over her torn-up jeans.

Everything about Lily Evans expressed her growing anxiety, from her furrowed brow to her knuckles, white where they clutched her pale willow flower-etched want.

Things were changing, Lily knew. This year would be different.

Her room was a mess, clothes strewn every which way, quills and bits of parchment littering the scratched desk, newspaper clippings lying haphazardly on the window seat beneath the patterned curtains. But Lily's eyes went straight to the owl perched on her bed.

"Oh, hullo, Simon." She reached down, untying the letter attached to Remus's owl's leg. It was written in his usual spiky, neat lettering, and was shorter than usual. Lily wondered if this was some sort of prank.

Lily,

Just thought you ought to know ahead of time; James's been made Head Boy. Hope your summer's been good,

Remus

Lily stared at it incomprehensibly. She read it again. And again. But no matter what, the letter stubbornly would not budge. She'd have to accept it as the truth…

But…

Lily herself had received the letter containing the information that she had been made Head Girl. And this meant…

Lily Evans and James Potter, sworn enemies for six years, would be working together to help run the school.

No. This had to be some kind of a hoax. She quickly composed her own letter, this time to Sirius Black, whom she thought would be most likely to find this hilarious. James, too, but Lily refused to write to him.

Black—

Enough with your stupid pranks. Layoff. It's not funny anymore.

Evans

Lily sat by the window, staring angrily as Simon flew out the window, praying to God, or Dumbledore, or whoever the bloody fuck would get her out the mess this was sure to be if it was true…

"Lily, darling! Dinner!"

Lily stood at the top of the stairs, staring moodily at her sister's skinny form on the sitting room sofa, watching the telly. She would be both sad and glad to get back to Hogwarts. She'd long hoped that she could repair her relationship with her sister, but Petunia was so resistant that even mentioning being friends again was a federal crime. Lily figured she'd just have to let it go.

At that exact moment, a knock echoed from the door. Lily's mum rushed to open it, muttering, "Oh, dear, I forgot they were coming!"

Lily, knowing who would be outside, hopped three steps at a time and stood behind her mother as the door was flung open.

"Ali! Emma!" Lily pushed past her mum to hug her mates; when she broke away, she stared at Emmeline with suspicion. "You cut your hair!"

Indeed, Emma's usually long, flowing golden blond locks had been lopped off at shoulder level, and she seemed to have bangs as well, although those were hidden by her Gryffindor-patterned hat. Alice looked exactly as Lily remembered: straight brown hair, freckles across her nose, even, white teeth, and the little mole by her nose that Ali was always complaining about.

Emma pulled back from Lily and shook Mrs. Evans's hand. "It's so good to see you, Evelyn. How was your summer?"

Lily's mum smiled, pulling Emma in for a hug as well. "Excellent. And what about you, Alice?"

Alice's eyes crinkled as she grinned at Mrs. Evans. "Really nice. Mum took me and my sister to America to visit her sister, we had a lot of fun. New York is so big!"

Mrs. Evans laughed. "Come in, come in. We're just sitting down for dinner. I assume you'll be taking Lily to Diagon Alley to get your school things after?"

Alice nodded, and said, "We'd love to sit down, but Emmeline's mother's expecting us by tonight. We have food in the car, if that's alright."

Although Lily saw her mum's face look slightly crestfallen, Mrs. Evans was a gracious as ever. "Oh, that's perfectly alright. Have a good time, girls!"

Lily turned to her friends. "Hang on. I've got to go pack my trunk; I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow."

Alice seemed excited about something, and sure enough as the climbed the stairs to Lily's room (followed by an angry glare from Petunia), she burst out, "James's been made Head Boy! You'll be working together this year!"

Alice had always thought Lily and James would be adorable together, and at goaded Lily into accepting his proposals for a date since fifth year. Emma and Hestia, who were steadfastly loyal to Lily, had always stuck with her, regardless of what they actually thought.

Lily groaned, and turned back to Ali. "It's true, then? Remus sent me a letter about that, but I didn't believe him. Merlin, Black is going to tease me about that…"

Emma patted her arm consolingly, but let out a gasp as she saw Lily's room. "What in Merlin's name happened here? Did—did Petunia go on a rampage?"

Lily laughed dully. "Whatever for? All she's had energy for is wedding planning. Vernon this, and Vernon that, it's growing quite annoying."

"Well," Alice pointed out, ever the optimist, "she's just excited. Wouldn't you be, if you were getting married?"

Lily raised an eyebrow at her, ignoring Emma's complaints at the room. "It doesn't look like I'll be marrying anyone soon, does it? The only boy who wants to go out with Mudblood Evans is that Potter prat, and I'd never date him."

"You say that now," Alice said wisely, nodding her head. "I'm not giving up, Lily. I'm on James's side on this one."

Lily chucked a pair of knickers she'd just picked up at the back of Alice's head. "When will you learn, Ali? I hate James Potter with a passion, and that's not going to change."

Emma broke in then, passing the three pairs of jeans she'd folded to Lily. "I'm with you, Jess, no matter what."

Lily smiled at Tia's old nickname for her, that Emma and Ali had taken to using as well. Jess, for her shortened middle name, Jessamine. Hestia had always been the quiet, steadfast one of their foursome, always believe whatever Lily or the others told her, and never saying a rude word to anyone, even disgusting old Vivienne Pince, who never left the library, even to shower, which left her with greasy black hair and a sallow, dirty complexion.

Sighing, Lily raised her wand, uttering a simple spell that sent her clothes folding, books closing and dusting themselves off, quills and parchment stacking, and everything flying into her trunk. Lily took one last look at her now empty room, and stepped into the hall. "Here, kitty kitty! Here, Chloe!" Lily's cat came bounding down the hall, and Emma promptly shut her up in a basket.

The three went downstairs, calling a last good-bye to Mrs. Evans and Petunia (who pointedly ignored the three witches), and climbed into Emma's car, Emma being the only other of their group who could drive, because her mother was a Muggle.

Once they reached London, they leapt out of the car, lugging Lily's trunk into the Leaky Cauldron, where Mrs. Vance was waiting with Hestia, who'd arrived just a few moments before they had. "Jess! Ems! Alice!"

She ran forward, tugging them all into a hug, and the four girls trooped upstairs, carrying Lily and Hestia's trunk between them.

Alice turned left, saying, "C'mon Tia, you're sharing with me."

Lily and Emma were left with the room across the hall, and as soon as they were inside, Emma said, "We're going to a club tonight, down the street. A few other of my friends said they'd meet us there."

Lily was skeptical about this, but didn't say anything. "When?"

"After we eat. Then we'll get ready, and go."

"And your mum's okay with this?"

Emma flushed slightly. "Mum's going out with Dad. They won't know we're missing."

Lily sighed, but shrugged. "Alright, but let's eat, then. I'm starved."

The club was loud and packed with people, and the light was so odd that Lily had trouble recognizing people. She pushed her way through the throng, just managing to keep a hold of Ali's wrist as they wound their way to the bar.

They bought drinks, and after a moment Emma tugged at Lily's sleeve. "Come dance!"

Reluctantly, Lily followed Emmeline to a cluster of people she vaguely recognized from Hogwarts. Some of Emma's other friends, she assumed. As she began to dance, and tall, dark-haired man came up behind her, hands brushing her waist. "You're looking pretty tonight, Evans."

Lily knew that voice. It haunted her nightmares and prowled in her dreams. "James Potter! Don't you touch me!"

Laughing, James spun her around. He tapped his chest, and a Head Boy badge flickered into view. He'd evidently kept it concealed from the Muggle eye. "See, Evans? It's real. I wasn't lying about it."

Lily scowled. "I'm not talking to you, Potter. Ever." And she stalked off.

She'd nearly made it back to Alice's side when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Aw, c'mon Evans. You can't deny you find me attractive. Can't we do something other than talk? But still involves our mouths?"

Lily shot him a look that she hoped was filled with venom, but she couldn't help noticing how soft and plush-looking James's lips were.

Blast it. This was getting her nowhere. "Good-bye, Potter."

And she promptly left.

"Evans! You don't want to be walking alone in an outfit like that!" He nodded to her short black skirt and sparkly top, giving the room a full view of her cleavage. "Here, at least let me lend you my coat, if you won't let me walk you back."

Lily ignored him, even though she knew he would insist upon walking her back. She'd nearly won their argument, before he had to ruin it with a question as they entered the much-more silent pub area of the Leaky Cauldron. "Won't you come for ice cream with me tomorrow, Evans?"

She spun to face him, slamming her hands into his solid, warm chest. "No. And that is final."

As she marched up the stairs, heels making little indentations in the carpet, she heard a voice say, "Tough luck, James." And James reply happily, "Sirius! When'd you get here?"

That night, as Lily lay awake, listening to the sound of cars outside and low voices, she kept thinking of James's highly kissable lips and muscled chest, and the soft note of his voice as he'd insisted he walk her back.