A/N: Ooh I am in such a bad mood it's not funny. I felt like writing a story that has something to do with friends since I have none. Oh and thanks to all my fans. MOONY, WORMTAIL, PADFOOT AND PRONGS RULE FOREVER!
As we go on,
We remember,
All the times we,
Had together.
And as our lives change,
Come on ever.
We will still be,
Friends forever.
"Graduation" Vitamin C
FRIENDS FOREVER
Lily Evans looked around nervously as she stood on platform 9 and 3/4. It was the beginning of her 4th year at Hogwarts. She had no friends but didn't care because she would much rather spend her time in the library. She loved reading all the books of spells. Another good thing about the library was that Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew and James Potter couldn't tease her. They never went to the library so Lily was safe.
"Oh no!" Lily moaned as Sirius and James approached her. Lily ducked onto the train before they could see her. Lily found an empty carriage and sat down. The door opened and Sirius, James, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew stepped in.
Sirius grinned evilly.
"Well if it isn't the red head!" he said.
"I have a name!" Lily snapped. She was sick of being called 'the red head.'
"He knows that but he's being stupid," James said.
"You mean he's acting normally."
"Hey!"
"Well it's true!"
"At least I don't have a purple owl!"
"Who has a purple owl?" Lily asked suddenly interested.
"James does," Remus said speaking for the first time.
"Yeah. I tried to give him a sense of direction and the spell sortta went wrong," James said glumly.
"What's your owls name?"
"Aloha. It means 'hello' or 'goodbye ' in Hawaiian."
"I knew that," Lily said. "I can put him right if you like."
"Nah I like him purple."
"I tried to turn my sister's cat's eyes green once! It didn't work I sortta turn the cat green!" Sirius said happily. "My mum got so mad at me!"
"You sound like you like being in trouble," Lily said.
"Oh he does," James teased.
"You bet I do!" Lily laughed. She hadn't laughed in a long time.
"What's so funny?" Sirius demanded.
"Purple owls! People who like getting into trouble! And I thought my life was weird!" Lily shook her head, which caused volumes of her red hair to fall into her face.
"You have to admit your purple owl is quite funny, James," Sirius said.
"Remember that time we sent Snape a howler and used Aloha!" Remus said.
"Course I do! Remember the look on his face when a purple owl landed on his shoulder!" James laughed.
"He was more afraid of the owl than the howler!" Sirius exclaimed. This caused them all to burst out laughing.
"Look we're here!" Peter said. They got off the train and went up to the castle for the feast and the sorting. As Lily lay down in her bed that night she realised that for the first time in her life she had friends.
The next month passed quickly. It was now a common sight to see Sirius, James, Remus, Lily and sometimes Peter huddled in the corner of the Gryffindor common room discussing something whether it is how to blow up something or how to humiliate the Slytherins. It was a Saturday so they had no classes. Sirius suggested they spend the day outside. Lily, James and Sirius sat in a tree. Well Lily sat while James and Sirius attempted to knock each other out of the tree.
"Hey not me!" Lily cried as Sirius grabbed her arm and tried to push her out.
"You're in the tree and the rule is all those in this tree must be pushed out!" Sirius crowed.
"That means you!" James yelled.
"No it means you and Lily. Remus get ready to catch! HEY I SAID NOT ME!" Lily laughed and casually pushed Sirius out of the tree.
Remus didn't bother to try and catch him.
"I said get ready to catch!" Sirius said.
"I was ready to catch Lily or James but not you," Remus said simply.
"Oh go jump in a lake, Remus."
"Oi Sirius!" Lily yelled.
"What? HEY! OW! THAT HURT!" Lily laughed and picked herself up off the ground. She'd jumped out of the tree and knocked Sirius over.
"Thanks for breaking my fall," Lily teased.
"You're NOT welcome. And James?"
"Yeah!"
"Don't even think of doing the same thing! OW!" For the second time that day Sirius was knocked to the ground.
"I thought I said DON'T think of doing the same thing?"
"You did but I chose to ignore you!"
"Oh go jump in the lake!"
"You've already used that stupid piece of advice today," Remus said.
"Shut up Remus!" Sirius said.
The next few months passed really quickly and for Lily they were they were the beginning of her new life outside the library. Christmas was the best one Lily had seen in a long time. Her favourite present was from Sirius. He had given her a photo album full of photos. Her favourite 2 were a group shot where they were all forcing their way into the picture. Peter wasn't in it because he was taking the photo. Sirius was grinning insanely, Remus was laughing and Lily was gasping for breath because James was tickling her. The other was of her wearing James's glasses while he crawled around the floor blindly trying to find them and Sirius was laughing his head off at the scene.
Lily's favourite lesson was Charms. She was quite good at it too. James and Sirius were good at Transfiguration and Remus was good at Defence Against the Dark Arts.
"Lily can you help me with my Charms homework?" James whined.
"Only if you help me with Transfiguration," Lily teased. "I can't see to get this quill to turn into a rose."
"It's easy watch." James tapped her quill with his wand and it turned into a rose.
"See?"
"It's easy for you put not for me. It either turns into a grey rose or a red, thorny quill." She taped the quill after James had turned it back. It turned into,
"A rose! I did it!"
"Did what?" Sirius said as he came into the common room.
"Turned the quill into a rose of course!"
"Oh that's easy!"
"That's what James said."
"I said it because it is easy," James said. "You have to help me with Charms now. I can't get the Silencing Charm right."
"You'll have to practice on Sirius otherwise I can't help you."
"No way you're not using A Silencing Cha..."
"Silencio Cratismo!" Lily yelled.
"Oh it's easy for you to do."
"Undois!"
"Thank you now I can talk again!" Sirius said.
"Your turn James."
"Silencio Cratismo!"
"Ha it didn't work!"
"Shut up Sirius!"
"Maybe I don't want to shut up! Did you think of that James?" They tried the charm for another hour until James gave up.
"Oh you can't give up that easily!" Lily said.
"Yes I can because I just did"
"I give up," Lily said. The rest of the year seemed to pass so quickly. Soon it was time to board the Hogwarts Express and head back to King's Cross.
"See you guys later!" Sirius called as he ran over to his parents and sister.
"I'll send you all an owl and see if you can come and stay for a while!" James said too Sirius, Lily, Remus and Peter.
"See ya! I'll be waiting for that owl!" Remus said.
"Bye guys!" Lily called as she ran over to her mother and father.
"I thought you said you had no friends at that freak place you go to?" Petunia sneered.
"I didn't have friends last year but I do this year!" Lily said.
"That's great dear. It's good to see you happy again," Lily's mother said.
"I don't like the look of them," her dad said.
"Why not?" Lily demanded.
"Messy hair," her dad grunted.
"I like it messy! James and Sirius would be totally different people if their hair wasn't messy!"
"Hmph." Petunia teased Lily all they way home and for the first week of the holidays.
One morning while Lily was slurping her cereal just to annoy Petunia a large purple bird flew through the window. Petunia shrieked and ran out of the room.
"Aloha!" Lily yelled. Her mother gave her a strange look.
"It's the name of the owl. He belongs to my friend," she explained untying the note attached to Aloha's leg. It read:
Hi Lil
Having fun with that dear sister of yours? Anyway Sirius and Remus are coming to stay at my place for a week. Peter can't come :) !!! Ask your mum if you can though and send a reply with Aloha but not straight away. He's been flying for 3 days non-stop.
James
"Can I go mum? PLEASE!"
"Let me see the note." Lily handed her the letter and her mother read it.
"Can I?"
"I suppose so," her mother said reluctantly.
"YIPPEE! NO PETUNIA FOR A WHOLE WEEK!" Lily grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and wrote:
Hi James
I can come! Guess what? Mum and Dad bought me an owl! Her name is Hedwig. I found it in some book on magic. Cool huh? It's so sad that Pettigrew can't come NOT!!! I'm really psycho because Petunia is bugging me and now I have an excuse to get away from her! :) :) :)
Lily
She gave Aloha some water and owl pellets before sending him off with her reply. Two days later she got a reply.
Hi
Dad and I will come and get you on Sunday. Do you have a fireplace? What owl pellets did you feed Aloha? He has regained some sense of direction not all of it though.
James
P.S. No I'm not insane Sirius is though!
"Sunday? That's tomorrow!"
"What's so important about Sunday?" Petunia sneered.
"On Sunday I'm going to stay at my friends house for a whole week! That's what is so important about Sunday!"
"What is your friends name?"
"None of your business!" Before Lily could stop her Petunia snatched the note Lily was holding and read it.
"James and Sirius huh? Does mum know that your friends are boys?"
"Yes she does now go AWAY!" Petunia threw the note on the ground and stalked off. She wrote a reply to James after telling her mother that they would pick her up tomorrow.
"You'd better pack some clothes dear," her mother said.
"Already have!" Lily said holding up a bag.
"It's nine o'clock Cathy! Lily should be in bed now!" Lily's dad yelled from downstairs.
"Good night dear."
"Night mum!" That night Lily had a very strange dream about purple owls and green cats that hunted blue mice. The next morning Lily rolled over and fell out of bed.
"Ow!" She said. Lily leaped up remembering what day it was. She pulled on some denim shorts and a black shirt then brushed her red hair. Lily had no idea where her hair colour came from because the rest of her family was blonde. She liked it because it made her different.
Lily was different from her family in another way. Lily was a witch and no one else in her family was. She ran down stair for breakfast.
"Morning mum!" Lily said.
"Oh hello dear. Do you know what time your friend is coming?"
"No. James just said that he and his dad would pick me up on Sunday." Just then there came a scream from the living room. Petunia ran into the kitchen. Her face was pale and she was trembling.
"What is it dear?" Lily's mum said.
"Two people just came out of the fireplace!" Petunia shrieked.
"That would be James," Lily said running into the living room.
"Oh hi Lily. I think we just scared your sister," James said sheepishly.
"That's a good thing. She ran into the kitchen shaking."
"Lily this is my dad," James said pointing to a tall man that looked just like him.
"Hi," Lily said. Lily's mum came into the room.
"Are you ready to go dear?"
"I've just gotta go get my bag," Lily said running up the steps and appeared back down a minute later.
"Bye mum," Lily said. Lily's mum waved and went back into the kitchen.
"Um how are we getting to your house?" Lily asked.
"Floo powder," James's dad said.
"All you do is throw some of this powder in the fire and yell 'Toscana'!" James said.
"Why Toscana?"
"It's the name of our house."
"Why did you name your house?"
"So you can use floo powder. Watch me." James threw some green powder in the fire, stepped in and yelled,
"Toscana!" He disappeared in a whirl of green flames. Lily did the same and almost instantly fell out onto the floor of a large house.
Sirius looked down at her.
"Hello. I guess you used floo powder for the first time?" he asked.
"Yep," Lily replied getting up. A minute later James's dad appeared.
"I've got some work to do James. Please be quiet and don't let Sirius break anything!"
"Yeah whatever dad. Remus should be arriving just about NOW!" James said, as if on cue Remus tumbled out onto the floor.
"Hi," he said standing up dusting off some soot. "You really need to clean your fireplace." Lily's stomach grumbled.
"I didn't have breakfast," she said.
"That's ok, neither have we. Mum said to wait until everyone was here," James said.
"Believe me you will be glad you waited. Mrs Potter is the best cook," Sirius said.
"Oh I'm not that good," a lady who obviously was James's mother.
"You are," Sirius insisted.
"Gee Sirius you sound like you live here!" Lily teased.
"I do on holidays, don't I James?"
"Yes unfortunately."
"Are you guys," Mrs Potter started.
"And girl," Lily added.
"And girl going to eat or just stand there yakking all day?"
"EAT!" Sirius exclaimed like it was the most obvious thing in the whole world. They sat down at the kitchen table and Mrs Potter placed a huge plate of steaming pancakes infront of each of them. Sirius was practically drooling over them.
"Don't slobber on them," Remus said.
"I'm not. When you taste these pancakes you'll understand."
"Yeah whatever," Lily said as she took a big bite of pancake. "Yum these are good!"
"What did I tell you?" Sirius teased. When they had finished breakfast Mrs Potter made James show Lily and Remus where they were sleeping. Sirius already knew because he had already stayed a night. James led them upstairs and pushed open a door.
"Don't you ever clean your room?" Lily asked.
"Not really," James replied with a grin. All the junk on one side of the room had been pushed aside to make space for 4 sleeping bags.
"How many brooms do you have James?" Sirius asked.
"Three, why?"
"Duh James we could go flying!" Sirius ran out of the room and down stairs.
"What took you so long?" He demanded when the others arrived.
"Uh we didn't run," Lily said.
"They're in that cupboard," James said pointing to a cupboard. Sirius bounced over to it and pulled out 3 brooms. He bounced outside with them.
"Course you take the good broom," Remus teased.
"Hurry up will you!" Sirius said.
"What about me?" Lily demanded.
"You can share with James," Sirius said slyly.
"At least he can fly unlike you Sirius."
"Oh shut up." Sirius took off really quickly and disappeared in the clouds.
Remus, James and Lily followed. Sirius was doing loop-de-loops and chasing Remus who looked slightly green. They flew until lunchtime. When they landed Sirius said,
"Lily how do you feel about getting wet?"
"No! Sirius Black don't you dare!" Lily shrieked. Sirius grabbed the garden hose and chased Lily around the yard with it. Half an hour later all 4 of them were soaking wet.
"I'm gonna climb the tree," Lily said.
"Me too!"
"Me three!"
"Me four!" When Mrs Potter came out with a plate of sandwiches she smiled at the scene before her. 4 soaking wet kids with windblown hair were hanging out of a tree.
"Are you guys hungry?" She called.
"Yes!"
"You're always hungry Sirius!"
"No I'm not!" They jumped out of the tree (Sirius got landed on again) and raced over too Mrs Potter. They lay on the grass in the shade with the plate of sandwiches between them.
"What do you guys wanna be when we leave school?" Remus asked.
"An Auror!" Sirius said instantly. "All those Muggle killings that you read about in the paper, It makes me sick."
"I dunno really. Maybe something to do with Charms," Lily said with a sigh.
"I don't care really. Maybe I'll play Quidditch for England. What about you Remus?"
"I don't know. I'll think about it when we graduate. I s'pose an Auror wouldn't be too bad."
"Let's do something! I'm really bored!" Lily said.
"But what? There's nothing to do!" Sirius said.
"Wait! Remember that list we started yesterday Sirius?" James asked.
"Yeah! Let's finish it! Where did you hide it again James?"
"In the tree hollow." Sirius jumped up and ran to the base of a tree. He came back with a crumpled piece of parchment and a quill.
"It's a list of what we have to do when school starts," he explained. So far it read:
1. Blow up Snape's cauldron and make sure he gets covered in Truth Potion or what ever.
2. Dungbombs in McGonagall's bed.
3. Dungbombs in Divination Tower and hopefully drive Trawley insane.
4. Turn all the owls green!
5. Send Howlers to Snape, McGonagall, all the Hufflepuff girls, the Slytherin Quidditch Captain and Peter.
"That's all we've thought of so far," James said.
"Why Peter?" Remus asked.
"It'll be fun!" Sirius said.
"I've got another one! We could find all these Charms and use them on the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins!"
"Ok I'll write that down!" Sirius said.
6. Use Charms, Curses and Hexes on the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins.
7. Turn Ms Norris every colour we can think of!
8. Scare Filch
9. Transfigure the trophies into daisies!
10. Convince Peeves to throw water balloons at all the teachers!
11. Turn McGonagall into a rabbit, skunk, horse, gorilla, bat and a pig.
12. Enlarge McGonagall's front teeth.
13. At Christmas curse all the teachers and make them sing Christmas Carols at the top of their voices.
"We seem to be annoying McGonagall a lot," Lily said.
"That's because she's easy to annoy," James said.
"I hope we get detentions for everyone of these!" Sirius exclaimed.
"You are strange Sirius," Lily teased.
"I try my best!"
"Kids! I just heard the weather report. There's a storm coming. You'd better come inside!" Mrs Potter called.
"So that's why it got cold all of a sudden!" Remus said. They trooped inside wondering what they could do. In the end they ended up playing exploding snap and chess for the rest of the afternoon. The storm hit at around 5 o'clock. Rain pelted against the windows and the wind howled.
"I love it when it rains," Lily said staring dreamily out the window.
"Why? You can't do anything fun like climbing trees and flying," Sirius said.
"Yeah you can!" Lily insisted. "Haven't you ever played in the rain?"
"No."
"Well there's a first time for everything!" Lily said. She motioned for them to follow her outside. The moment they stepped outside they were instantly drenched.
"Ick, I didn't realise that it involved being so wet!" Remus said.
"But that's the fun of it!" Lily said in an exasperated tone.
"It is?" James asked. He gave her a look that clearly said 'you are insane.'
"Let's play chasey!" Lily said. They looked blankly at her. "Don't tell me you haven't heard of chasey either?"
"Ok we won't tell you. What is chasey?" James asked.
"It's a game. Someone is 'it' and they have to chase the people who aren't 'it' until they catch someone. If you get tagged then you're 'it'!"
"Oh ok? But how do you decide whose it?"
"I will since you boys obviously have no idea what I'm talking about," Lily said. After a little while Sirius, James and Remus figured it out and soon they were all running around the rain trying not to be tagged.
After a while Lily flopped down on the wet grass.
"Hey Lily your hair isn't red anymore!" James said flopping onto the grass next to her.
"Really? What colour is it?"
"Green!" Sirius teased lying down next to James. Lily shrieked.
"No it's not Lily," Remus said. "It's sort of like a dark reddy-brown colour."
"Party Pooper!" Sirius teased.
"Oh that's ok then. I thought for a moment it was green."
"Nah! I was just kidding," Sirius said.
"What's that?" James said pointing to something in the air.
"It looks like an owl!" Remus said.
"It is!" Lily exclaimed. The owl flew towards them and landed on Lily's shoulder. She untied the envelope tied to its leg. The note inside read:
Dear Ms Vantay
You have been selected as one of the Gryffindor Prefects. Your badge is enclosed in the envelope. Please try and fulfil the requirements the Prefects have.
Minerva McGonagall
(Deputy Headmistress)
Lily groaned.
"What?" James asked. She handed him the letter. Sirius and Remus read over his shoulder.
"Ha! You're a Prefect! Sucked in! No more fun for you!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Maybe if I'm really bad they'll take the badge back!" Lily said hopefully.
"We could bewitch it to say 'I'm a Prefect Unfortunately'!" James said.
"It'd never work," Remus said.
"It's getting dark. Maybe we'd better go inside," James said.
"And hope that your mum doesn't kill us for being wet!" Sirius exclaimed. They reluctantly wet inside.
"What's wrong with Lily?" Mrs Potter asked.
"She's a prefect!" Sirius said gleefully.
"Oh congratulations!" Mrs Potter chirped.
"Mum she doesn't want to be a prefect," James explained.
"Oh. Well dinner is almost ready. Go put some dry clothes on and wash your hands all of you."
(Mrs Potter is your typical mother. Strict about rules :(:()
Five minutes later Lily bounded down the stairs screeching, James bounded down after her trying to tickle her. Sirius followed with an amused expression on his face.
"Must have something to do with the rain," he said to Remus.
"Nah. It's the lack of food," Remus said. They went into the kitchen with Mrs Potter asking what all the noise was.
"It's your son trying to tickle his girlfriend," Sirius said. Mrs Potter looked horrified but Lily ran into the kitchen yelling,
"I'M NOT JAMES'S GIRLFRIEND!"
"Sure your not!" Sirius said with an evil grin.
"You're stupid," Lily said running out of the kitchen with James chasing her.
"Definatly something to do with the rain," Remus said laughing.
"I thought you said it was the lack of food?" Sirius said.
"It's both," Remus answered. Mrs Potter convinced James to leave Lily alone (Lily was very thankful for this).
"So James when's the wedding?" Sirius teased.
"Huh? For the last time Sirius, Lily and I are just friends!"
"For now," Sirius said with a grin.
"What is that s'posed to mean?" Lily demanded. Sirius laughed and went back to his food. Remus looked very amused at this conversation.
"Quit looking at me like that Remus!" James snapped.
"Somebody's in a bad mood," Remus teased.
"You two are enough to get anyone in a bad mood!"
"Now, now, now. Since when do you guys fight?" Mrs Potter said.
They played around, teased each other and basically wore themselves out. Lily fell asleep almost instantly.
"No Please! No don't hurt mummy and daddy! Please!"
"Stand aside you stupid girl!"
"No PLEASE!"
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"
"NOOOOO! MOTHER! FATHER! NOOOO!" The girl ran from the house into the rain sobbing.
"Where do you think your going?"
"Leave me alone!"
"CRUCIO!"
"AHHHHHH! AHHHHHHH! AAAHHHHHHHH!"
Lily woke up sweating. The dream seemed so real. As she drifted off to sleep Lily could have sworn she heard a bang and a scream but she decided she was just thinking about her dream. There was another scream and Lily sat up with a start. There was no way she was going to get anymore sleep that night. She looked around the room at her friends. Sirius looked so innocent when he was asleep. Lily giggled and reminded herself that it was probably the only time he would look innocent. Remus's hair was falling in his face and James was snoring softly. Lily sighed and lay down staring at the ceiling. She was soon fast asleep. The next morning it was still raining. After they had eaten breakfast they went outside to play in the rain again.
Lily climbed the tree and sat in her favourite branch. It over looked the neighbours yard.
"Guys! Come up here and look at this!" Lily said. "Look at the house next door!" The house was blackened like there had been a fire and was totally destroyed.
"Wow! Wonder what happened?" Sirius said sounding amused. He climbed down the tree and jumped over the fence.
"I don't think that was a good idea!" Lily called.
"Yeah it was! Come over here and look for yourselves!" Sirius yelled. Lily sighed and followed James and Remus down the tree and over the fence. Lily stared up beautiful house. At least it was beautiful yesterday but not now.
"I wonder what happened to this place?" James said. Lily looked at the house again and her dream came flooding back to her. Lily looked around the yard.
"Hey what's that!" She exclaimed pointing to one corner of the yard. They wandered over to have a look. Lily gasped at the sight. A girl with long black hair lay in the mud. She was unconscious and had a big gash down her arm that was bleeding and several smaller cuts on her face. Her jeans and shirt were torn.
"I know her!" Lily gasped. "She's in my dorm! And we have Arithmomancy together!"
"Oh yeah! She's also on the Quidditch Team! Quite good at it too," Sirius said going red.
"And Divination!" Remus exclaimed.
"I'll go get my mum. She was a nurse a couple of years ago," James said. He jumped the fence and sprinted across his yard and disappeared inside.
"I wonder what happened to her?" Sirius said. Lily thought of her dream again and shivered.
"What?" Remus asked.
"Nothing I'm just a bit cold from the rain," Lily lied. Mrs Potter and James appeared. Mrs Potter conjured up a stretcher and walked back to the house with it floating beside her. The foursome followed in silence. Lily looked slightly sick but refused to tell anyone what was wrong. After a 6th attempt to cheer her up they finally gave up and left her alone. Lily sat in the tree on her favourite branch and was so deep in her thoughts she didn't notice James climb up and sit next to her.
"What's wrong?" James asked. Lily looked up in surprise.
"Oh hi. I didn't see you there. What did you say?"
"I asked you what is wrong."
"Well it's just that last night I dreamed that Voldemort went into a home a killed someone's parents and then used the Cruciatus Curse on a girl and the next thing I know there is a house destroyed and a girl in the yard."
"So you dreamed that this would happen?" Lily nodded and her eyes filled with tears.
"I'm scared James. If what I dreamed really happened it means Voldemort was just next door! A murder happened a few metres away!"
"Don't cry. It's ok. If he was there he's gone now and that girl could've just fallen out of a tree and hit her head or something."
"It doesn't explain the destroyed house!"
"I guess you're right." James smiled at her then climbed down the tree and went off to find Sirius leaving a very confused Lily behind.
'Jeez he's got nice eyes.' Lily thought. 'Stop it! He's your best friend you can't fall in love with your best friend!'
'Yes you can!'
'But I don't want to!'
'Yes you do! Admit it, you like James Potter!'
'No I don't!' Lily sighed but refused to believe that she liked James more than a friend. It was ridiculous! Lily was very frustrated with herself. She rested her head on the branch behind her and looked at the house next door.
"Lily! Hey Lily! That girl we found woke up! Come on down!" Sirius yelled. Lily practically leaped out of the tree.
"What were you doing up there? You seem to like climbing that tree."
"I was just thinking." Sirius raised his eyebrows.
"Are you sure? I saw James climb up there before."
"Sirius! He was asking if I was ok!"
"Sure whatever."
"You're really annoying sometimes!"
"I try my best!"
When Lily entered the room the girl looked at her sadly. (Sirius claimed that he'd already tried to talk to her. James had told her that when Sirius had tried to talk to her was after Quidditch practice and all he got was a slap in the face.)
"Um hi. I'm..." Lily began.
"I know who you are. We're in the same dorm at Hogwarts remember?" She said sadly. "I thought you said your parents were Muggles?" She choked on the word 'parents.'
"They are."
"Then whose house is this?"
"James Potter's."
"Then what are you doing here?"
"I'm one of his best friends. Sirius Black and Remus Lupin are also here."
"Oh." She looked sadly out the window. "I remember in my 3rd year Sirius tried to ask me out after Quidditch practice."
Lily remembered what James had told her and giggled.
"What?"
"Oh nothing."
"Tell me!" She sounded almost happy for a minute.
"James said that you slapped Sirius after that."
"Oh that. Well I was in a bad mood. He'd accidentally hit a bludger at me during practice. At least he said it was an accident." She sighed. "This is the type of conversation I'd be having with my sister if she was still alive."
"I'm sorry," Lily said. The girl's eyes filled with tears.
"I miss them so much," she choked.
"Oh don't cry please! I couldn't bear it!"
"I've got to cry Lily! If I don't I feel like I'd explode."
"I'm sorry that your family had to die Rebecca!"
"Call me Bec," She said quietly. "Katie used to." She looked out the window again with tears spilling down her cheeks. Lily slipped out the door quietly.
"Well?" Sirius asked.
"She seems to think it's her fault they died. And Sirius, she only slapped you because she was in a bad mood."
"How do you know?"
"I asked her."
"Oh." Lily was enjoying watching Sirius turn red.
"Maybe you should go talk to her," Lily teased, if possible Sirius went even redder. James pushed him inside the room and shut the door. Five minutes later he emerged holding his cheek.
"What happened?" Remus asked.
"She slapped me again." James burst out laughing.
"What...Did...You...Do?" He laughed.
"Nothing! I just sat down and when she saw who I was she slapped me again!" Lily and Remus joined in laughing.
"It's not funny!"
"It is!" Lily insisted.
The rest of the holidays went quickly and to Lily's surprise she was standing on platform 9 and 3/4 in no time at all. Sirius, James and Bec burst through the barrier laughing.
"What have you done now?" Lily asked.
"Oh nothing," Sirius said airily.
"Yes you have now tell me!"
"Ok, ok we turned Snape's hair blue!" Bec exclaimed.
"You should have heard him scream!" James said with a laugh.
"Don't forget the sparkles!" Sirius exclaimed. The four howled with laughter.
"Um mind telling me what's so funny?" Remus suddenly piped up.
"Oh nothing. It's just that Snape now has blue -" James said.
"Sparkly!" Sirius interrupted.
"- Hair!" James finished with a grin.
Remus looked at them like they were insane, (which they probably were). They talked about Snape's blue hair all the way to Hogwarts. The first term passed so quickly and it was soon Christmas. Remus, Sirius and Peter went home for the holidays. Bec also went home to her aunt's house. She was not pleased about the arrangements. Lily woke up on Christmas day in an awful mood. She and James had gotten into an argument the night before over something and now they weren't speaking to each other.
"Morning Lily!" Tiriana Beldoff, a cheery girl who was also in Lily's dorm said.
"No it's not!" Lily snapped. Tiriana looked hurt.
"Fine be like that!" Tiriana stomped out of the room. Lily groaned. She'd have to apologise to her later. Lily opened her presents and went down to breakfast. The Great Hall was almost empty. Most of the school had gone home for Christmas.
After breakfast Lily was going back up to the common room when someone tapped her on the shoulder. Lily knew without turning around who it was without turning around.
"I don't want to talk to you Potter!" Lily snapped. She started walking faster but James grabbed her arm.
"Well I want to talk to you!" he said.
"Didn't you hear me? I said I didn't want to talk to you!" James ignored Lily and dragged her outside.
"Look about last night I -"
"I said I didn't want to talk to you for the 3rd time!"
"I'm sorry ok! You can be so stuck up sometimes you know that?"
"Me stuck up!? I thought you were my friend?! You say I'm stuck up! Well what about you? Just because you're the Quidditch captain for Gryffindor and the girls follow you around everywhere doesn't mean you rule the world!"
"I didn't say I did!"
"You may not have said it but you act like it!"
"I do not! You think I like people following me everywhere? It's annoying!" Lily was silent for a moment.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. She turned to run back inside but James stopped her.
"I didn't mean to yell at you Lil," he said softly. Before Lily could say anything James had leant down and kissed her. Lily was shocked. She didn't know what to say so she didn't say anything.
"Please don't hate me Lil!" James begged.
"I don't hate you!" Lily said going red. James grinned and kissed her again. 2 weeks later classes began again. Bec was depressed again.
"What's wrong?" Lily asked her one day.
"Aunt Sisaria blames me for my family's death," Bec whispered. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Oh Bec you know it's not your fault!" Lily said. Bec wiped her eyes.
"I know it's not my fault. Anyway how was your Christmas?" Bec said totally changing the subject.
"Fine I guess," Lily said going red. Bec gave her the I-want-to-know-but-you're-not-going-to-tell-me look.
"Did ya like the pressie I gave ya?"
"Yes it's beautiful!"
"Do you wear it?"
"Course I do!" Lily pulled a silver chain with a miniature white and silver lilly on it out from under the collar of her robes. Bec smiled.
"My mother gave it to me. It's a family tradition. She gave one to her best friend and kept one. Then she duplicated the one she kept and gave two of the duplicates to me. When I'm older I'll duplicate mine and give two to my daughter if I have one."
"That's a good idea! But how come it's a lilly?"
"Oh that. Well it's really strange. Grandma's best friend was named Rose so the charm was a rose. Mum's best friend was named Daisy so the charm was a daisy. It's really weird how everyone in my family's best friend's name has been a flower." Lily laughed.
"Everyone in my family has had blonde hair since I don't know when and suddenly a red head is born!" It was Bec's turn to laugh.
"So what did you do on Christmas day?"
"That Bec, is strictly confidential."
"Aw please tell me!"
"No! It's a secret!"
"Meanie, c'mon we're gonna be late for Transfiguration!" Lily pulled a face. She hated Transfiguration because she was hopeless at it. Bec laughed.
"Oh c'mon!" Bec teased.
"You only like it because McGonagall made you Sirius's partner!"
"That's not true!"
"Yeah it is!" With that Bec chased Lily all the way to class.
Transfiguration was horrible as usual. Lily's partner Donia Luhery always tried her best to help Lily get it right but her attempts always failed.
"Oh Donia it's no use!"
"Lily you've got to keep trying. Think of fluffy rabbit slippers not balls of fluff with eyes." Lily giggled. The bell rang and Donia went off to find her friend Constance Zimerlly. Lily was glad that the day's classes were over. She walked back to the common room not bothering to try and race Bec. After dinner Lily and Bec sat in the common room playing chess when Dumbledore came in followed by 2 girls. The room went silent.
"These girls are here on an exchange program. Their names are Elsea and Candice Donian. They will be staying with the 5th year girls." With that her left. Candice and Elsea were identical twins. They both had brown hair and eyes. The twins approached Lily and Bec.
"G'day I'm Candice and this is Elsea. Are you 5th years?" She had a very strong accent.
"Yep," Bec said not looking up from the chess game.
"I'm Lily Evans and she's Bec Larsonia," Lily said jerking her thumb at Bec who was still staring at the game.
"Pleased to meet you," Elsea said politely. She also had an accent but it wasn't as strong as Candice's.
"Where are you from?" Bec asked finally looking up.
"Australia!" Candice exclaimed. "It's wonderful there! I like it here in England but I miss the Australian summers."
"I don't. Australia was too hot! I love it here!" Elsea said. "I'm going to go see if I can meet some more people ok Candi?"
"Yeah whatever Elsea."
"You might want to try those girls over there," Lily said pointing to Tiriana Beldoff, Constance Zimerlly and Donia Luhery.
"Thanks." Elsea wandered off to the other side of the room. Just then Sirius and James bounced into the common room. Remus followed.
"Hi Bec! Hi Lily! Who's this? Where's she from?" Sirius said this all in one breath.
"Hi Sirius, this is Candice, she's from Australia," Bec answered.
"Is he on some sort of medication?" Candice asked Lily.
"No he's just naturally insane."
"I heard that!"
"You were meant to! By the way the insane person is Sirius Black, the one with messy hair is James Potter and the other one is Remus Lupin," Bec said.
"So how long are you staying here?" Remus asked.
"I don't really know. I miss my friends back home," Candice said. "Elsea really loves it here though she hated the hot Australian summers."
"Are you a you Muggle born?" James asked.
"James! That's not very nice!" Lily scolded.
"I don't care really. I'm a pureblood, uh what's your name again?"
"James."
"Right. I'm hopeless at remembering names. I usually leave that job to Elsea. Wait Lily! Don't move that pawn! If you do she'll get your bishop and it'll be checkmate! Move the rook 6 to the right so she'll have to move that knight and then you can get her queen!"
"You seem to know your way around a chess board!" Sirius exclaimed.
"No one can beat him," Remus explained.
"I can!" James exclaimed.
"Except James on his good days."
"Well let's see if I can beat him. Want a game?"
"Ok. I'll go get a board. I think I chucked one under my bed the other day..." Sirius bounced upstairs to get the chessboard.
"Ha Checkmate! I won! I won!" Lily danced around the room receiving strange looks from a couple of 6th years.
"It's a first! Lily won a game of chess!" Bec teased. Remus, James, Lily and Bec decided to play Exploding Snap while Candice and Sirius played chess. Two hours later...
"Now if I move that there then he can take that bishop but if I move my Queen there... CHECKMATE!" Candice yelled.
"This is impossible! I've been beaten!" Sirius pretended to die while Candice jumped up and down for joy.
"You had to loose to someone else beside me sometime Padfoot," James teased.
"I could beat her anytime I want! I let her win!"
"Best of three then. How 'bout it Sirius?" Candice challenged.
"Fine you've won one game so far." A long time later
"Yippee! I beat you 3 games to nothing! Admit it Sirius Black I am a better chess player than you!" Candice shrieked.
"Fine I accept my defeat but I won't admit that -"
"I'm a better player than you!"
"Yes I won't admit that - hey! You tricked me into saying yes!" Candice laughed and she ran up the steps to the girl's dorm after Lily and Bec.
The next few months passed quickly. Elsea and Candice settled in very quickly. Candice was almost as big a troublemaker as Bec Sirius and James. Almost. One day in May Lily received an owl at breakfast. She read it and went all pale.
"What is it Lily?" Candice asked. Lily didn't answer; she walked out of the Great Hall quickly so that no one could see the tears that threatened to escape from her eyes.
"I wonder what's wrong with Lily," Candice said sounding worried.
"I wouldn't worry too much Candi. Lily has been know to have mood swings," Bec said. "If she's still upset later I'll talk to her." Lily didn't come to any of the days classes, Bec and Candice were beginning to get worried. After their last class Bec went up to their dorm.
"Lil? Is everything alright?" Bec didn't get and answer. She walked over and tried to take the letter out of Lily's fist.
"What did I do to you when your parents died?" Lily snapped.
"You talked to me and left me alone," Bec answered sounding shocked.
"Well can you do the last part?"
Bec looked hurt.
"Lil I'm your best friend! Who knows how long I could've been lying in the mud if you hadn't climbed the tree that day! Lil I could've died! I'm not saying you have to tell me or anything. I just can stand seeing my friends upset."
"Bec! My parents are dead and you're babbling about how I could've saved your life! Please just leave me alone!" Lily gasped.
"I'm sorry Lil." With those words Bec walked out of the room.
"What's wrong with her?" James asked when she came down into the common room.
"Her parents are dead," Bec said dully. "I wouldn't go up there. She'll yell at you." James ignored Bec and went up the steps.
"You know what? I think something happened over the Christmas holidays that we don't know about," Sirius mused.
"I think your right," Bec said.
"Lily are you ok?"
"Go away Potter!"
"Look I'm sorry about your parents."
"I said go AWAY!" James narrowly dodged the pillow Lily threw at him. She began to cry.
"Why did they have to die James why?" Lily sobbed.
"I don't know Lil." James sat down next to her.
"They never did anything wrong! They were the nicest people I've ever known and now they're gone. Why? Why? Why did they have to die? Why?" James held her in his arms until her sobs subsided.
"Thanks James," Lily said brushing her hair out of her face.
"What are friends for?" James kissed her softly. Lily jerked back in surprise.
"Sorry," James said going red. "You were so upset and I just - well sorry." Just then there came a shriek from the common room. Lily and James ran down to see what had happened. Elsea had a huge grin on her face while Constance looked both happy and disappointed.
"What is it?" Lily asked her.
"Mum and Dad are moving here, to England and Elsea and I will being get the rest of our schooling here at Hogwarts," Candice said with a grin. "But I'll never see Australia again or my friends again. What'll Amanda say! I promised her I'd come back! I promised!" Candice's smile vanished.
"That's great!" Bec said.
"I loved Australia so much." At that moment Dumbledore came into the common room carrying the sorting hat.
"I've just heard the news Elsea and Candice. If you are to continue learning at Hogwarts you'll need a house." Candice put on the hat first.
"GRYFFINDOR!" It shouted. Then Elsea put it on.
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Very well. If you'll please follow me to the Ravenclaw common room, your things are already there. Oh and Miss Evans? Will you please go wait in my office? The password is the same as before." Elsea waved good bye to Candice and followed Dumbledore out of the portrait hole.
Lily shrugged and climbed out of the portrait hole. She told the password (gob stopper) to the stone gargoyle and went up into the office. Dumbledore appeared a moment later.
"I understand that your parents have died?" He said kindly. Lily felt a lump rise in her throat.
"Yes they have," She choked.
"How are you taking it?"
"Ok I guess. I cried a bit but I'm fine now."
"Good. Come and see me if you have anything you'd like to discuss. You may go." Lily raced back to the Gryffindor Common Room. She didn't feel like talking to anyone so she went up to her dorm and pulled the curtains around her bed shut. Lily fell fast asleep and dreamt that her parents were still alive. The next morning when Lily woke she peeked through a gap in the curtains. Bec was half under her bed muttering something about shoes and Candice was trying to tame her crazy hair.
"You're fighting a loosing battle there dear," the mirror said sleepily. Lily pulled her head back inside the curtains.
"Candi have you seen my shoes?"
"Yes I have Bec."
"Good where are they?"
"On your feet." Bec looked down sheepishly.
"Oops."
"Sometimes I wonder if you have a brain Bec," Tiriana Beldoff teased.
"Oh She does. She just uses it in the wrong areas," Lily piped up.
"Practical jokes are not the wrong area!"
"Whatever."
"Hey guess what?" Donia squealed.
"What?" Her friend Constance muttered.
"I heard McGonagall talking about a Foundation Dance! You know it's like 5000 years since Hogwarts was founded by Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin!"
"Ooh really?" Constance said waking up properly. Bec rolled her eyes as Constance, Tiriana and Donia started yakking away.
"Hogsmeade today!" Candice said happily. "I can't wait to go! I've heard so much about it!"
Bec seized her opportunity to tell Candice everything about Hogsmeade.
"Don't spoil it for me!" Candice scolded. They went down to the common room. Sirius was grinning about something.
"What is it this time?" Lily asked.
"Me and Prongs invented a spell. It's called the Dog Spell. We tested in on Snape! Now everytime he tries to talk he sounds like a poodle!" Lily burst out laughing.
"Ooh I have got to hear him!"
"Let's go down to breakfast! I'm hungry!" James said.
"You're always hungry!" Sirius teased.
"No I'm not! Only in the mornings!" Breakfast was interesting as usual.
"Hello Snape," Bec said sweetly.
"Aroo! Ar ar ar ar ah! Roof grrr!" Bec, Lily, Candice, Remus, James and Sirius roared with laughter and left an angry looking Snape behind.
After breakfast they went to Hogsmeade. Since the Foundation Dance was coming up the girls went to a new shop called 'Madam Zumpery's Dresses and Robes for all occasions.' The assistant Delilah took their measurements and told them to come back in 3 hours to pick up their dresses.
"Well where do you want to go first?" James asked.
"I don't care," Candice said. She was practically bursting from excitement.
"Ok how 'bout Zonko's then Honeydukes then the post office then the Three Broomsticks and then back to Madam whatever her name is to get our dresses?" Bec said.
"Ok by me," Sirius said. Candice loved Zonko's! Lily was sure that if she had the money she would've bought the whole shop. She thought Honeydukes and the post office were just as interesting.
"Let's go to the Three Broomsticks. I'm so thirsty!" Bec exclaimed. They sat at a table near the window and watched the people go past.
"Anyone got a date for the ball yet?" Candice asked.
"Nope," Lily said.
"Surely you one of the most popular 5th years would have been asked!?" Sirius teased.
"Well I haven't," Lily replied. "Unless you count that annoying 2nd year." Sirius found the fact that Lily hadn't been asked to the dance by anyone except a 2nd year incredibly funny.
"Has anyone been asked?" James said.
"I have," Candice said.
"Really by whom?" Bec pestered.
"Not telling!" Candice exclaimed in mock horror.
"Tell us or I'll turn you into a Flobberworm!" Sirius teased. Candice unfortunately believed he would do it.
"I asked her," Remus muttered before Candice could say anything.
"Did you really?" James asked.
"Yes he did!" Candice said.
"And what did you say?" Sirius teased.
"None of your business!"
"C'mon our dresses should be read now!" Lily said. They went to get their dresses. About half the girls in the school had the same idea. Finally the girls emerged from the shop holding a box each.
"I can't believe McGonagall left it so late to tell everyone!" Candice said. They walked down the main street passing groups of girls who burst into giggles when they passed.
"Honestly giggling should be banned!" Sirius sighed. "Say Bec wanna go to the dance with me?" Sirius looked ready to duck in case Bec tried to slap him again.
"Ok," She said simply. For some reason Bec was a tad too happy for the rest of the afternoon. Later that night all 6 were hanging around the common room. Sirius and Candice were playing chess. Bec was watching. Remus was doing his homework and watching. Lily was reading and James was watching her read.
(Hey I couldn't think of anything for James to do!)
"Say Lil?" He asked.
"Mmm?" Lily said without looking up.
"Wanna go to the dance with me? You don't have to. It was just a thought."
"Course I'll go with you! You always assume that I'll say no." Lily went back to reading her book.
"Um Lily? You usually read books the other way around!"
"Oh. It's more interesting this way," she said but she turned the book over anyway. The next two days went by in a blur. The teachers had agreed (with a little help from a potion that Sirius, James, Bec and Candice cooked up) to cancel classes on the day of the dance. Most children were pleased at this, the girls in particular. Late that afternoon Bec, Lily and Candice disappeared upstairs into their dorm to get ready. Once they were ready they went down to the common room.
Bec's dress was white, very tight and very, very short. It was downed with fake diamonds that made it seem almost silver in the light. She had on white sandals and her black hair was left out and she had used a spell on it to make it shine. Lily's dress was midnight blue. It came down to her ankles and had silver swirls along the bottom. Her hair was also left out and she had used the same spell that Bec had used to make it shiny. Candice's dress was lemon coloured with blue patterns on it. It was fairly long and went well with her dark brown curls. Somehow she had managed to control her hair and had put it into and elegant twist. When they came down into the common room all three boys were lost for words. Yes even Sirius who usually wouldn't shut up was speechless. Bec was getting annoyed at them.
"Hello! It's just us!" She said crossly.
"Huh? Oh hi. Should we go now?" Sirius said. Sadly he was back to his talkative self.
"Yes we should go now!" Bec said impatiently. The 6 went down to the Great Hall. Red, Green, Yellow and Blue decorations had been hung around it.
When Dumbledore opened the dance the music began. Students filled the floor. Candice and Remus had disappeared but Lily spotted them a few minutes after the dance had started.
"Want to dance Bec?" Sirius asked.
"Ok." Sirius looked surprised. "I'm not going to slap you if that's what you're worried about." Sirius seemed to relax a bit more when she told him that. They disappeared into a swarm of dancing students.
"He likes her you know," James said.
"Really? I hadn't guessed since it is the most obvious thing in world at the moment," Lily said sarcastically. James grinned at her then said,
"Care to dance Milady?" Lily laughed. "What? You don't like my gentleman act?"
"It doesn't suit you but yes I would like to dance," Lily teased.
"Good," James said with a smile. As they danced James became aware of nothing except the sparkling green eyes infront of him. He suddenly realised he was staring into Lily's eyes and turned away quickly. Lily, however, didn't seem to notice. Or maybe she did...
TO BE CONTINUED!
A/N: That is my longest story so far! I'm posting this with two different titles and under two different people! I'm working on part 2 at the moment! BYE AND PLEASE REVIEW!
As we go on,
We remember,
All the times we,
Had together.
And as our lives change,
Come on ever.
We will still be,
Friends forever.
"Graduation" Vitamin C
FRIENDS FOREVER
Lily Evans looked around nervously as she stood on platform 9 and 3/4. It was the beginning of her 4th year at Hogwarts. She had no friends but didn't care because she would much rather spend her time in the library. She loved reading all the books of spells. Another good thing about the library was that Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew and James Potter couldn't tease her. They never went to the library so Lily was safe.
"Oh no!" Lily moaned as Sirius and James approached her. Lily ducked onto the train before they could see her. Lily found an empty carriage and sat down. The door opened and Sirius, James, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew stepped in.
Sirius grinned evilly.
"Well if it isn't the red head!" he said.
"I have a name!" Lily snapped. She was sick of being called 'the red head.'
"He knows that but he's being stupid," James said.
"You mean he's acting normally."
"Hey!"
"Well it's true!"
"At least I don't have a purple owl!"
"Who has a purple owl?" Lily asked suddenly interested.
"James does," Remus said speaking for the first time.
"Yeah. I tried to give him a sense of direction and the spell sortta went wrong," James said glumly.
"What's your owls name?"
"Aloha. It means 'hello' or 'goodbye ' in Hawaiian."
"I knew that," Lily said. "I can put him right if you like."
"Nah I like him purple."
"I tried to turn my sister's cat's eyes green once! It didn't work I sortta turn the cat green!" Sirius said happily. "My mum got so mad at me!"
"You sound like you like being in trouble," Lily said.
"Oh he does," James teased.
"You bet I do!" Lily laughed. She hadn't laughed in a long time.
"What's so funny?" Sirius demanded.
"Purple owls! People who like getting into trouble! And I thought my life was weird!" Lily shook her head, which caused volumes of her red hair to fall into her face.
"You have to admit your purple owl is quite funny, James," Sirius said.
"Remember that time we sent Snape a howler and used Aloha!" Remus said.
"Course I do! Remember the look on his face when a purple owl landed on his shoulder!" James laughed.
"He was more afraid of the owl than the howler!" Sirius exclaimed. This caused them all to burst out laughing.
"Look we're here!" Peter said. They got off the train and went up to the castle for the feast and the sorting. As Lily lay down in her bed that night she realised that for the first time in her life she had friends.
The next month passed quickly. It was now a common sight to see Sirius, James, Remus, Lily and sometimes Peter huddled in the corner of the Gryffindor common room discussing something whether it is how to blow up something or how to humiliate the Slytherins. It was a Saturday so they had no classes. Sirius suggested they spend the day outside. Lily, James and Sirius sat in a tree. Well Lily sat while James and Sirius attempted to knock each other out of the tree.
"Hey not me!" Lily cried as Sirius grabbed her arm and tried to push her out.
"You're in the tree and the rule is all those in this tree must be pushed out!" Sirius crowed.
"That means you!" James yelled.
"No it means you and Lily. Remus get ready to catch! HEY I SAID NOT ME!" Lily laughed and casually pushed Sirius out of the tree.
Remus didn't bother to try and catch him.
"I said get ready to catch!" Sirius said.
"I was ready to catch Lily or James but not you," Remus said simply.
"Oh go jump in a lake, Remus."
"Oi Sirius!" Lily yelled.
"What? HEY! OW! THAT HURT!" Lily laughed and picked herself up off the ground. She'd jumped out of the tree and knocked Sirius over.
"Thanks for breaking my fall," Lily teased.
"You're NOT welcome. And James?"
"Yeah!"
"Don't even think of doing the same thing! OW!" For the second time that day Sirius was knocked to the ground.
"I thought I said DON'T think of doing the same thing?"
"You did but I chose to ignore you!"
"Oh go jump in the lake!"
"You've already used that stupid piece of advice today," Remus said.
"Shut up Remus!" Sirius said.
The next few months passed really quickly and for Lily they were they were the beginning of her new life outside the library. Christmas was the best one Lily had seen in a long time. Her favourite present was from Sirius. He had given her a photo album full of photos. Her favourite 2 were a group shot where they were all forcing their way into the picture. Peter wasn't in it because he was taking the photo. Sirius was grinning insanely, Remus was laughing and Lily was gasping for breath because James was tickling her. The other was of her wearing James's glasses while he crawled around the floor blindly trying to find them and Sirius was laughing his head off at the scene.
Lily's favourite lesson was Charms. She was quite good at it too. James and Sirius were good at Transfiguration and Remus was good at Defence Against the Dark Arts.
"Lily can you help me with my Charms homework?" James whined.
"Only if you help me with Transfiguration," Lily teased. "I can't see to get this quill to turn into a rose."
"It's easy watch." James tapped her quill with his wand and it turned into a rose.
"See?"
"It's easy for you put not for me. It either turns into a grey rose or a red, thorny quill." She taped the quill after James had turned it back. It turned into,
"A rose! I did it!"
"Did what?" Sirius said as he came into the common room.
"Turned the quill into a rose of course!"
"Oh that's easy!"
"That's what James said."
"I said it because it is easy," James said. "You have to help me with Charms now. I can't get the Silencing Charm right."
"You'll have to practice on Sirius otherwise I can't help you."
"No way you're not using A Silencing Cha..."
"Silencio Cratismo!" Lily yelled.
"Oh it's easy for you to do."
"Undois!"
"Thank you now I can talk again!" Sirius said.
"Your turn James."
"Silencio Cratismo!"
"Ha it didn't work!"
"Shut up Sirius!"
"Maybe I don't want to shut up! Did you think of that James?" They tried the charm for another hour until James gave up.
"Oh you can't give up that easily!" Lily said.
"Yes I can because I just did"
"I give up," Lily said. The rest of the year seemed to pass so quickly. Soon it was time to board the Hogwarts Express and head back to King's Cross.
"See you guys later!" Sirius called as he ran over to his parents and sister.
"I'll send you all an owl and see if you can come and stay for a while!" James said too Sirius, Lily, Remus and Peter.
"See ya! I'll be waiting for that owl!" Remus said.
"Bye guys!" Lily called as she ran over to her mother and father.
"I thought you said you had no friends at that freak place you go to?" Petunia sneered.
"I didn't have friends last year but I do this year!" Lily said.
"That's great dear. It's good to see you happy again," Lily's mother said.
"I don't like the look of them," her dad said.
"Why not?" Lily demanded.
"Messy hair," her dad grunted.
"I like it messy! James and Sirius would be totally different people if their hair wasn't messy!"
"Hmph." Petunia teased Lily all they way home and for the first week of the holidays.
One morning while Lily was slurping her cereal just to annoy Petunia a large purple bird flew through the window. Petunia shrieked and ran out of the room.
"Aloha!" Lily yelled. Her mother gave her a strange look.
"It's the name of the owl. He belongs to my friend," she explained untying the note attached to Aloha's leg. It read:
Hi Lil
Having fun with that dear sister of yours? Anyway Sirius and Remus are coming to stay at my place for a week. Peter can't come :) !!! Ask your mum if you can though and send a reply with Aloha but not straight away. He's been flying for 3 days non-stop.
James
"Can I go mum? PLEASE!"
"Let me see the note." Lily handed her the letter and her mother read it.
"Can I?"
"I suppose so," her mother said reluctantly.
"YIPPEE! NO PETUNIA FOR A WHOLE WEEK!" Lily grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and wrote:
Hi James
I can come! Guess what? Mum and Dad bought me an owl! Her name is Hedwig. I found it in some book on magic. Cool huh? It's so sad that Pettigrew can't come NOT!!! I'm really psycho because Petunia is bugging me and now I have an excuse to get away from her! :) :) :)
Lily
She gave Aloha some water and owl pellets before sending him off with her reply. Two days later she got a reply.
Hi
Dad and I will come and get you on Sunday. Do you have a fireplace? What owl pellets did you feed Aloha? He has regained some sense of direction not all of it though.
James
P.S. No I'm not insane Sirius is though!
"Sunday? That's tomorrow!"
"What's so important about Sunday?" Petunia sneered.
"On Sunday I'm going to stay at my friends house for a whole week! That's what is so important about Sunday!"
"What is your friends name?"
"None of your business!" Before Lily could stop her Petunia snatched the note Lily was holding and read it.
"James and Sirius huh? Does mum know that your friends are boys?"
"Yes she does now go AWAY!" Petunia threw the note on the ground and stalked off. She wrote a reply to James after telling her mother that they would pick her up tomorrow.
"You'd better pack some clothes dear," her mother said.
"Already have!" Lily said holding up a bag.
"It's nine o'clock Cathy! Lily should be in bed now!" Lily's dad yelled from downstairs.
"Good night dear."
"Night mum!" That night Lily had a very strange dream about purple owls and green cats that hunted blue mice. The next morning Lily rolled over and fell out of bed.
"Ow!" She said. Lily leaped up remembering what day it was. She pulled on some denim shorts and a black shirt then brushed her red hair. Lily had no idea where her hair colour came from because the rest of her family was blonde. She liked it because it made her different.
Lily was different from her family in another way. Lily was a witch and no one else in her family was. She ran down stair for breakfast.
"Morning mum!" Lily said.
"Oh hello dear. Do you know what time your friend is coming?"
"No. James just said that he and his dad would pick me up on Sunday." Just then there came a scream from the living room. Petunia ran into the kitchen. Her face was pale and she was trembling.
"What is it dear?" Lily's mum said.
"Two people just came out of the fireplace!" Petunia shrieked.
"That would be James," Lily said running into the living room.
"Oh hi Lily. I think we just scared your sister," James said sheepishly.
"That's a good thing. She ran into the kitchen shaking."
"Lily this is my dad," James said pointing to a tall man that looked just like him.
"Hi," Lily said. Lily's mum came into the room.
"Are you ready to go dear?"
"I've just gotta go get my bag," Lily said running up the steps and appeared back down a minute later.
"Bye mum," Lily said. Lily's mum waved and went back into the kitchen.
"Um how are we getting to your house?" Lily asked.
"Floo powder," James's dad said.
"All you do is throw some of this powder in the fire and yell 'Toscana'!" James said.
"Why Toscana?"
"It's the name of our house."
"Why did you name your house?"
"So you can use floo powder. Watch me." James threw some green powder in the fire, stepped in and yelled,
"Toscana!" He disappeared in a whirl of green flames. Lily did the same and almost instantly fell out onto the floor of a large house.
Sirius looked down at her.
"Hello. I guess you used floo powder for the first time?" he asked.
"Yep," Lily replied getting up. A minute later James's dad appeared.
"I've got some work to do James. Please be quiet and don't let Sirius break anything!"
"Yeah whatever dad. Remus should be arriving just about NOW!" James said, as if on cue Remus tumbled out onto the floor.
"Hi," he said standing up dusting off some soot. "You really need to clean your fireplace." Lily's stomach grumbled.
"I didn't have breakfast," she said.
"That's ok, neither have we. Mum said to wait until everyone was here," James said.
"Believe me you will be glad you waited. Mrs Potter is the best cook," Sirius said.
"Oh I'm not that good," a lady who obviously was James's mother.
"You are," Sirius insisted.
"Gee Sirius you sound like you live here!" Lily teased.
"I do on holidays, don't I James?"
"Yes unfortunately."
"Are you guys," Mrs Potter started.
"And girl," Lily added.
"And girl going to eat or just stand there yakking all day?"
"EAT!" Sirius exclaimed like it was the most obvious thing in the whole world. They sat down at the kitchen table and Mrs Potter placed a huge plate of steaming pancakes infront of each of them. Sirius was practically drooling over them.
"Don't slobber on them," Remus said.
"I'm not. When you taste these pancakes you'll understand."
"Yeah whatever," Lily said as she took a big bite of pancake. "Yum these are good!"
"What did I tell you?" Sirius teased. When they had finished breakfast Mrs Potter made James show Lily and Remus where they were sleeping. Sirius already knew because he had already stayed a night. James led them upstairs and pushed open a door.
"Don't you ever clean your room?" Lily asked.
"Not really," James replied with a grin. All the junk on one side of the room had been pushed aside to make space for 4 sleeping bags.
"How many brooms do you have James?" Sirius asked.
"Three, why?"
"Duh James we could go flying!" Sirius ran out of the room and down stairs.
"What took you so long?" He demanded when the others arrived.
"Uh we didn't run," Lily said.
"They're in that cupboard," James said pointing to a cupboard. Sirius bounced over to it and pulled out 3 brooms. He bounced outside with them.
"Course you take the good broom," Remus teased.
"Hurry up will you!" Sirius said.
"What about me?" Lily demanded.
"You can share with James," Sirius said slyly.
"At least he can fly unlike you Sirius."
"Oh shut up." Sirius took off really quickly and disappeared in the clouds.
Remus, James and Lily followed. Sirius was doing loop-de-loops and chasing Remus who looked slightly green. They flew until lunchtime. When they landed Sirius said,
"Lily how do you feel about getting wet?"
"No! Sirius Black don't you dare!" Lily shrieked. Sirius grabbed the garden hose and chased Lily around the yard with it. Half an hour later all 4 of them were soaking wet.
"I'm gonna climb the tree," Lily said.
"Me too!"
"Me three!"
"Me four!" When Mrs Potter came out with a plate of sandwiches she smiled at the scene before her. 4 soaking wet kids with windblown hair were hanging out of a tree.
"Are you guys hungry?" She called.
"Yes!"
"You're always hungry Sirius!"
"No I'm not!" They jumped out of the tree (Sirius got landed on again) and raced over too Mrs Potter. They lay on the grass in the shade with the plate of sandwiches between them.
"What do you guys wanna be when we leave school?" Remus asked.
"An Auror!" Sirius said instantly. "All those Muggle killings that you read about in the paper, It makes me sick."
"I dunno really. Maybe something to do with Charms," Lily said with a sigh.
"I don't care really. Maybe I'll play Quidditch for England. What about you Remus?"
"I don't know. I'll think about it when we graduate. I s'pose an Auror wouldn't be too bad."
"Let's do something! I'm really bored!" Lily said.
"But what? There's nothing to do!" Sirius said.
"Wait! Remember that list we started yesterday Sirius?" James asked.
"Yeah! Let's finish it! Where did you hide it again James?"
"In the tree hollow." Sirius jumped up and ran to the base of a tree. He came back with a crumpled piece of parchment and a quill.
"It's a list of what we have to do when school starts," he explained. So far it read:
1. Blow up Snape's cauldron and make sure he gets covered in Truth Potion or what ever.
2. Dungbombs in McGonagall's bed.
3. Dungbombs in Divination Tower and hopefully drive Trawley insane.
4. Turn all the owls green!
5. Send Howlers to Snape, McGonagall, all the Hufflepuff girls, the Slytherin Quidditch Captain and Peter.
"That's all we've thought of so far," James said.
"Why Peter?" Remus asked.
"It'll be fun!" Sirius said.
"I've got another one! We could find all these Charms and use them on the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins!"
"Ok I'll write that down!" Sirius said.
6. Use Charms, Curses and Hexes on the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins.
7. Turn Ms Norris every colour we can think of!
8. Scare Filch
9. Transfigure the trophies into daisies!
10. Convince Peeves to throw water balloons at all the teachers!
11. Turn McGonagall into a rabbit, skunk, horse, gorilla, bat and a pig.
12. Enlarge McGonagall's front teeth.
13. At Christmas curse all the teachers and make them sing Christmas Carols at the top of their voices.
"We seem to be annoying McGonagall a lot," Lily said.
"That's because she's easy to annoy," James said.
"I hope we get detentions for everyone of these!" Sirius exclaimed.
"You are strange Sirius," Lily teased.
"I try my best!"
"Kids! I just heard the weather report. There's a storm coming. You'd better come inside!" Mrs Potter called.
"So that's why it got cold all of a sudden!" Remus said. They trooped inside wondering what they could do. In the end they ended up playing exploding snap and chess for the rest of the afternoon. The storm hit at around 5 o'clock. Rain pelted against the windows and the wind howled.
"I love it when it rains," Lily said staring dreamily out the window.
"Why? You can't do anything fun like climbing trees and flying," Sirius said.
"Yeah you can!" Lily insisted. "Haven't you ever played in the rain?"
"No."
"Well there's a first time for everything!" Lily said. She motioned for them to follow her outside. The moment they stepped outside they were instantly drenched.
"Ick, I didn't realise that it involved being so wet!" Remus said.
"But that's the fun of it!" Lily said in an exasperated tone.
"It is?" James asked. He gave her a look that clearly said 'you are insane.'
"Let's play chasey!" Lily said. They looked blankly at her. "Don't tell me you haven't heard of chasey either?"
"Ok we won't tell you. What is chasey?" James asked.
"It's a game. Someone is 'it' and they have to chase the people who aren't 'it' until they catch someone. If you get tagged then you're 'it'!"
"Oh ok? But how do you decide whose it?"
"I will since you boys obviously have no idea what I'm talking about," Lily said. After a little while Sirius, James and Remus figured it out and soon they were all running around the rain trying not to be tagged.
After a while Lily flopped down on the wet grass.
"Hey Lily your hair isn't red anymore!" James said flopping onto the grass next to her.
"Really? What colour is it?"
"Green!" Sirius teased lying down next to James. Lily shrieked.
"No it's not Lily," Remus said. "It's sort of like a dark reddy-brown colour."
"Party Pooper!" Sirius teased.
"Oh that's ok then. I thought for a moment it was green."
"Nah! I was just kidding," Sirius said.
"What's that?" James said pointing to something in the air.
"It looks like an owl!" Remus said.
"It is!" Lily exclaimed. The owl flew towards them and landed on Lily's shoulder. She untied the envelope tied to its leg. The note inside read:
Dear Ms Vantay
You have been selected as one of the Gryffindor Prefects. Your badge is enclosed in the envelope. Please try and fulfil the requirements the Prefects have.
Minerva McGonagall
(Deputy Headmistress)
Lily groaned.
"What?" James asked. She handed him the letter. Sirius and Remus read over his shoulder.
"Ha! You're a Prefect! Sucked in! No more fun for you!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Maybe if I'm really bad they'll take the badge back!" Lily said hopefully.
"We could bewitch it to say 'I'm a Prefect Unfortunately'!" James said.
"It'd never work," Remus said.
"It's getting dark. Maybe we'd better go inside," James said.
"And hope that your mum doesn't kill us for being wet!" Sirius exclaimed. They reluctantly wet inside.
"What's wrong with Lily?" Mrs Potter asked.
"She's a prefect!" Sirius said gleefully.
"Oh congratulations!" Mrs Potter chirped.
"Mum she doesn't want to be a prefect," James explained.
"Oh. Well dinner is almost ready. Go put some dry clothes on and wash your hands all of you."
(Mrs Potter is your typical mother. Strict about rules :(:()
Five minutes later Lily bounded down the stairs screeching, James bounded down after her trying to tickle her. Sirius followed with an amused expression on his face.
"Must have something to do with the rain," he said to Remus.
"Nah. It's the lack of food," Remus said. They went into the kitchen with Mrs Potter asking what all the noise was.
"It's your son trying to tickle his girlfriend," Sirius said. Mrs Potter looked horrified but Lily ran into the kitchen yelling,
"I'M NOT JAMES'S GIRLFRIEND!"
"Sure your not!" Sirius said with an evil grin.
"You're stupid," Lily said running out of the kitchen with James chasing her.
"Definatly something to do with the rain," Remus said laughing.
"I thought you said it was the lack of food?" Sirius said.
"It's both," Remus answered. Mrs Potter convinced James to leave Lily alone (Lily was very thankful for this).
"So James when's the wedding?" Sirius teased.
"Huh? For the last time Sirius, Lily and I are just friends!"
"For now," Sirius said with a grin.
"What is that s'posed to mean?" Lily demanded. Sirius laughed and went back to his food. Remus looked very amused at this conversation.
"Quit looking at me like that Remus!" James snapped.
"Somebody's in a bad mood," Remus teased.
"You two are enough to get anyone in a bad mood!"
"Now, now, now. Since when do you guys fight?" Mrs Potter said.
They played around, teased each other and basically wore themselves out. Lily fell asleep almost instantly.
"No Please! No don't hurt mummy and daddy! Please!"
"Stand aside you stupid girl!"
"No PLEASE!"
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"
"NOOOOO! MOTHER! FATHER! NOOOO!" The girl ran from the house into the rain sobbing.
"Where do you think your going?"
"Leave me alone!"
"CRUCIO!"
"AHHHHHH! AHHHHHHH! AAAHHHHHHHH!"
Lily woke up sweating. The dream seemed so real. As she drifted off to sleep Lily could have sworn she heard a bang and a scream but she decided she was just thinking about her dream. There was another scream and Lily sat up with a start. There was no way she was going to get anymore sleep that night. She looked around the room at her friends. Sirius looked so innocent when he was asleep. Lily giggled and reminded herself that it was probably the only time he would look innocent. Remus's hair was falling in his face and James was snoring softly. Lily sighed and lay down staring at the ceiling. She was soon fast asleep. The next morning it was still raining. After they had eaten breakfast they went outside to play in the rain again.
Lily climbed the tree and sat in her favourite branch. It over looked the neighbours yard.
"Guys! Come up here and look at this!" Lily said. "Look at the house next door!" The house was blackened like there had been a fire and was totally destroyed.
"Wow! Wonder what happened?" Sirius said sounding amused. He climbed down the tree and jumped over the fence.
"I don't think that was a good idea!" Lily called.
"Yeah it was! Come over here and look for yourselves!" Sirius yelled. Lily sighed and followed James and Remus down the tree and over the fence. Lily stared up beautiful house. At least it was beautiful yesterday but not now.
"I wonder what happened to this place?" James said. Lily looked at the house again and her dream came flooding back to her. Lily looked around the yard.
"Hey what's that!" She exclaimed pointing to one corner of the yard. They wandered over to have a look. Lily gasped at the sight. A girl with long black hair lay in the mud. She was unconscious and had a big gash down her arm that was bleeding and several smaller cuts on her face. Her jeans and shirt were torn.
"I know her!" Lily gasped. "She's in my dorm! And we have Arithmomancy together!"
"Oh yeah! She's also on the Quidditch Team! Quite good at it too," Sirius said going red.
"And Divination!" Remus exclaimed.
"I'll go get my mum. She was a nurse a couple of years ago," James said. He jumped the fence and sprinted across his yard and disappeared inside.
"I wonder what happened to her?" Sirius said. Lily thought of her dream again and shivered.
"What?" Remus asked.
"Nothing I'm just a bit cold from the rain," Lily lied. Mrs Potter and James appeared. Mrs Potter conjured up a stretcher and walked back to the house with it floating beside her. The foursome followed in silence. Lily looked slightly sick but refused to tell anyone what was wrong. After a 6th attempt to cheer her up they finally gave up and left her alone. Lily sat in the tree on her favourite branch and was so deep in her thoughts she didn't notice James climb up and sit next to her.
"What's wrong?" James asked. Lily looked up in surprise.
"Oh hi. I didn't see you there. What did you say?"
"I asked you what is wrong."
"Well it's just that last night I dreamed that Voldemort went into a home a killed someone's parents and then used the Cruciatus Curse on a girl and the next thing I know there is a house destroyed and a girl in the yard."
"So you dreamed that this would happen?" Lily nodded and her eyes filled with tears.
"I'm scared James. If what I dreamed really happened it means Voldemort was just next door! A murder happened a few metres away!"
"Don't cry. It's ok. If he was there he's gone now and that girl could've just fallen out of a tree and hit her head or something."
"It doesn't explain the destroyed house!"
"I guess you're right." James smiled at her then climbed down the tree and went off to find Sirius leaving a very confused Lily behind.
'Jeez he's got nice eyes.' Lily thought. 'Stop it! He's your best friend you can't fall in love with your best friend!'
'Yes you can!'
'But I don't want to!'
'Yes you do! Admit it, you like James Potter!'
'No I don't!' Lily sighed but refused to believe that she liked James more than a friend. It was ridiculous! Lily was very frustrated with herself. She rested her head on the branch behind her and looked at the house next door.
"Lily! Hey Lily! That girl we found woke up! Come on down!" Sirius yelled. Lily practically leaped out of the tree.
"What were you doing up there? You seem to like climbing that tree."
"I was just thinking." Sirius raised his eyebrows.
"Are you sure? I saw James climb up there before."
"Sirius! He was asking if I was ok!"
"Sure whatever."
"You're really annoying sometimes!"
"I try my best!"
When Lily entered the room the girl looked at her sadly. (Sirius claimed that he'd already tried to talk to her. James had told her that when Sirius had tried to talk to her was after Quidditch practice and all he got was a slap in the face.)
"Um hi. I'm..." Lily began.
"I know who you are. We're in the same dorm at Hogwarts remember?" She said sadly. "I thought you said your parents were Muggles?" She choked on the word 'parents.'
"They are."
"Then whose house is this?"
"James Potter's."
"Then what are you doing here?"
"I'm one of his best friends. Sirius Black and Remus Lupin are also here."
"Oh." She looked sadly out the window. "I remember in my 3rd year Sirius tried to ask me out after Quidditch practice."
Lily remembered what James had told her and giggled.
"What?"
"Oh nothing."
"Tell me!" She sounded almost happy for a minute.
"James said that you slapped Sirius after that."
"Oh that. Well I was in a bad mood. He'd accidentally hit a bludger at me during practice. At least he said it was an accident." She sighed. "This is the type of conversation I'd be having with my sister if she was still alive."
"I'm sorry," Lily said. The girl's eyes filled with tears.
"I miss them so much," she choked.
"Oh don't cry please! I couldn't bear it!"
"I've got to cry Lily! If I don't I feel like I'd explode."
"I'm sorry that your family had to die Rebecca!"
"Call me Bec," She said quietly. "Katie used to." She looked out the window again with tears spilling down her cheeks. Lily slipped out the door quietly.
"Well?" Sirius asked.
"She seems to think it's her fault they died. And Sirius, she only slapped you because she was in a bad mood."
"How do you know?"
"I asked her."
"Oh." Lily was enjoying watching Sirius turn red.
"Maybe you should go talk to her," Lily teased, if possible Sirius went even redder. James pushed him inside the room and shut the door. Five minutes later he emerged holding his cheek.
"What happened?" Remus asked.
"She slapped me again." James burst out laughing.
"What...Did...You...Do?" He laughed.
"Nothing! I just sat down and when she saw who I was she slapped me again!" Lily and Remus joined in laughing.
"It's not funny!"
"It is!" Lily insisted.
The rest of the holidays went quickly and to Lily's surprise she was standing on platform 9 and 3/4 in no time at all. Sirius, James and Bec burst through the barrier laughing.
"What have you done now?" Lily asked.
"Oh nothing," Sirius said airily.
"Yes you have now tell me!"
"Ok, ok we turned Snape's hair blue!" Bec exclaimed.
"You should have heard him scream!" James said with a laugh.
"Don't forget the sparkles!" Sirius exclaimed. The four howled with laughter.
"Um mind telling me what's so funny?" Remus suddenly piped up.
"Oh nothing. It's just that Snape now has blue -" James said.
"Sparkly!" Sirius interrupted.
"- Hair!" James finished with a grin.
Remus looked at them like they were insane, (which they probably were). They talked about Snape's blue hair all the way to Hogwarts. The first term passed so quickly and it was soon Christmas. Remus, Sirius and Peter went home for the holidays. Bec also went home to her aunt's house. She was not pleased about the arrangements. Lily woke up on Christmas day in an awful mood. She and James had gotten into an argument the night before over something and now they weren't speaking to each other.
"Morning Lily!" Tiriana Beldoff, a cheery girl who was also in Lily's dorm said.
"No it's not!" Lily snapped. Tiriana looked hurt.
"Fine be like that!" Tiriana stomped out of the room. Lily groaned. She'd have to apologise to her later. Lily opened her presents and went down to breakfast. The Great Hall was almost empty. Most of the school had gone home for Christmas.
After breakfast Lily was going back up to the common room when someone tapped her on the shoulder. Lily knew without turning around who it was without turning around.
"I don't want to talk to you Potter!" Lily snapped. She started walking faster but James grabbed her arm.
"Well I want to talk to you!" he said.
"Didn't you hear me? I said I didn't want to talk to you!" James ignored Lily and dragged her outside.
"Look about last night I -"
"I said I didn't want to talk to you for the 3rd time!"
"I'm sorry ok! You can be so stuck up sometimes you know that?"
"Me stuck up!? I thought you were my friend?! You say I'm stuck up! Well what about you? Just because you're the Quidditch captain for Gryffindor and the girls follow you around everywhere doesn't mean you rule the world!"
"I didn't say I did!"
"You may not have said it but you act like it!"
"I do not! You think I like people following me everywhere? It's annoying!" Lily was silent for a moment.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. She turned to run back inside but James stopped her.
"I didn't mean to yell at you Lil," he said softly. Before Lily could say anything James had leant down and kissed her. Lily was shocked. She didn't know what to say so she didn't say anything.
"Please don't hate me Lil!" James begged.
"I don't hate you!" Lily said going red. James grinned and kissed her again. 2 weeks later classes began again. Bec was depressed again.
"What's wrong?" Lily asked her one day.
"Aunt Sisaria blames me for my family's death," Bec whispered. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Oh Bec you know it's not your fault!" Lily said. Bec wiped her eyes.
"I know it's not my fault. Anyway how was your Christmas?" Bec said totally changing the subject.
"Fine I guess," Lily said going red. Bec gave her the I-want-to-know-but-you're-not-going-to-tell-me look.
"Did ya like the pressie I gave ya?"
"Yes it's beautiful!"
"Do you wear it?"
"Course I do!" Lily pulled a silver chain with a miniature white and silver lilly on it out from under the collar of her robes. Bec smiled.
"My mother gave it to me. It's a family tradition. She gave one to her best friend and kept one. Then she duplicated the one she kept and gave two of the duplicates to me. When I'm older I'll duplicate mine and give two to my daughter if I have one."
"That's a good idea! But how come it's a lilly?"
"Oh that. Well it's really strange. Grandma's best friend was named Rose so the charm was a rose. Mum's best friend was named Daisy so the charm was a daisy. It's really weird how everyone in my family's best friend's name has been a flower." Lily laughed.
"Everyone in my family has had blonde hair since I don't know when and suddenly a red head is born!" It was Bec's turn to laugh.
"So what did you do on Christmas day?"
"That Bec, is strictly confidential."
"Aw please tell me!"
"No! It's a secret!"
"Meanie, c'mon we're gonna be late for Transfiguration!" Lily pulled a face. She hated Transfiguration because she was hopeless at it. Bec laughed.
"Oh c'mon!" Bec teased.
"You only like it because McGonagall made you Sirius's partner!"
"That's not true!"
"Yeah it is!" With that Bec chased Lily all the way to class.
Transfiguration was horrible as usual. Lily's partner Donia Luhery always tried her best to help Lily get it right but her attempts always failed.
"Oh Donia it's no use!"
"Lily you've got to keep trying. Think of fluffy rabbit slippers not balls of fluff with eyes." Lily giggled. The bell rang and Donia went off to find her friend Constance Zimerlly. Lily was glad that the day's classes were over. She walked back to the common room not bothering to try and race Bec. After dinner Lily and Bec sat in the common room playing chess when Dumbledore came in followed by 2 girls. The room went silent.
"These girls are here on an exchange program. Their names are Elsea and Candice Donian. They will be staying with the 5th year girls." With that her left. Candice and Elsea were identical twins. They both had brown hair and eyes. The twins approached Lily and Bec.
"G'day I'm Candice and this is Elsea. Are you 5th years?" She had a very strong accent.
"Yep," Bec said not looking up from the chess game.
"I'm Lily Evans and she's Bec Larsonia," Lily said jerking her thumb at Bec who was still staring at the game.
"Pleased to meet you," Elsea said politely. She also had an accent but it wasn't as strong as Candice's.
"Where are you from?" Bec asked finally looking up.
"Australia!" Candice exclaimed. "It's wonderful there! I like it here in England but I miss the Australian summers."
"I don't. Australia was too hot! I love it here!" Elsea said. "I'm going to go see if I can meet some more people ok Candi?"
"Yeah whatever Elsea."
"You might want to try those girls over there," Lily said pointing to Tiriana Beldoff, Constance Zimerlly and Donia Luhery.
"Thanks." Elsea wandered off to the other side of the room. Just then Sirius and James bounced into the common room. Remus followed.
"Hi Bec! Hi Lily! Who's this? Where's she from?" Sirius said this all in one breath.
"Hi Sirius, this is Candice, she's from Australia," Bec answered.
"Is he on some sort of medication?" Candice asked Lily.
"No he's just naturally insane."
"I heard that!"
"You were meant to! By the way the insane person is Sirius Black, the one with messy hair is James Potter and the other one is Remus Lupin," Bec said.
"So how long are you staying here?" Remus asked.
"I don't really know. I miss my friends back home," Candice said. "Elsea really loves it here though she hated the hot Australian summers."
"Are you a you Muggle born?" James asked.
"James! That's not very nice!" Lily scolded.
"I don't care really. I'm a pureblood, uh what's your name again?"
"James."
"Right. I'm hopeless at remembering names. I usually leave that job to Elsea. Wait Lily! Don't move that pawn! If you do she'll get your bishop and it'll be checkmate! Move the rook 6 to the right so she'll have to move that knight and then you can get her queen!"
"You seem to know your way around a chess board!" Sirius exclaimed.
"No one can beat him," Remus explained.
"I can!" James exclaimed.
"Except James on his good days."
"Well let's see if I can beat him. Want a game?"
"Ok. I'll go get a board. I think I chucked one under my bed the other day..." Sirius bounced upstairs to get the chessboard.
"Ha Checkmate! I won! I won!" Lily danced around the room receiving strange looks from a couple of 6th years.
"It's a first! Lily won a game of chess!" Bec teased. Remus, James, Lily and Bec decided to play Exploding Snap while Candice and Sirius played chess. Two hours later...
"Now if I move that there then he can take that bishop but if I move my Queen there... CHECKMATE!" Candice yelled.
"This is impossible! I've been beaten!" Sirius pretended to die while Candice jumped up and down for joy.
"You had to loose to someone else beside me sometime Padfoot," James teased.
"I could beat her anytime I want! I let her win!"
"Best of three then. How 'bout it Sirius?" Candice challenged.
"Fine you've won one game so far." A long time later
"Yippee! I beat you 3 games to nothing! Admit it Sirius Black I am a better chess player than you!" Candice shrieked.
"Fine I accept my defeat but I won't admit that -"
"I'm a better player than you!"
"Yes I won't admit that - hey! You tricked me into saying yes!" Candice laughed and she ran up the steps to the girl's dorm after Lily and Bec.
The next few months passed quickly. Elsea and Candice settled in very quickly. Candice was almost as big a troublemaker as Bec Sirius and James. Almost. One day in May Lily received an owl at breakfast. She read it and went all pale.
"What is it Lily?" Candice asked. Lily didn't answer; she walked out of the Great Hall quickly so that no one could see the tears that threatened to escape from her eyes.
"I wonder what's wrong with Lily," Candice said sounding worried.
"I wouldn't worry too much Candi. Lily has been know to have mood swings," Bec said. "If she's still upset later I'll talk to her." Lily didn't come to any of the days classes, Bec and Candice were beginning to get worried. After their last class Bec went up to their dorm.
"Lil? Is everything alright?" Bec didn't get and answer. She walked over and tried to take the letter out of Lily's fist.
"What did I do to you when your parents died?" Lily snapped.
"You talked to me and left me alone," Bec answered sounding shocked.
"Well can you do the last part?"
Bec looked hurt.
"Lil I'm your best friend! Who knows how long I could've been lying in the mud if you hadn't climbed the tree that day! Lil I could've died! I'm not saying you have to tell me or anything. I just can stand seeing my friends upset."
"Bec! My parents are dead and you're babbling about how I could've saved your life! Please just leave me alone!" Lily gasped.
"I'm sorry Lil." With those words Bec walked out of the room.
"What's wrong with her?" James asked when she came down into the common room.
"Her parents are dead," Bec said dully. "I wouldn't go up there. She'll yell at you." James ignored Bec and went up the steps.
"You know what? I think something happened over the Christmas holidays that we don't know about," Sirius mused.
"I think your right," Bec said.
"Lily are you ok?"
"Go away Potter!"
"Look I'm sorry about your parents."
"I said go AWAY!" James narrowly dodged the pillow Lily threw at him. She began to cry.
"Why did they have to die James why?" Lily sobbed.
"I don't know Lil." James sat down next to her.
"They never did anything wrong! They were the nicest people I've ever known and now they're gone. Why? Why? Why did they have to die? Why?" James held her in his arms until her sobs subsided.
"Thanks James," Lily said brushing her hair out of her face.
"What are friends for?" James kissed her softly. Lily jerked back in surprise.
"Sorry," James said going red. "You were so upset and I just - well sorry." Just then there came a shriek from the common room. Lily and James ran down to see what had happened. Elsea had a huge grin on her face while Constance looked both happy and disappointed.
"What is it?" Lily asked her.
"Mum and Dad are moving here, to England and Elsea and I will being get the rest of our schooling here at Hogwarts," Candice said with a grin. "But I'll never see Australia again or my friends again. What'll Amanda say! I promised her I'd come back! I promised!" Candice's smile vanished.
"That's great!" Bec said.
"I loved Australia so much." At that moment Dumbledore came into the common room carrying the sorting hat.
"I've just heard the news Elsea and Candice. If you are to continue learning at Hogwarts you'll need a house." Candice put on the hat first.
"GRYFFINDOR!" It shouted. Then Elsea put it on.
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Very well. If you'll please follow me to the Ravenclaw common room, your things are already there. Oh and Miss Evans? Will you please go wait in my office? The password is the same as before." Elsea waved good bye to Candice and followed Dumbledore out of the portrait hole.
Lily shrugged and climbed out of the portrait hole. She told the password (gob stopper) to the stone gargoyle and went up into the office. Dumbledore appeared a moment later.
"I understand that your parents have died?" He said kindly. Lily felt a lump rise in her throat.
"Yes they have," She choked.
"How are you taking it?"
"Ok I guess. I cried a bit but I'm fine now."
"Good. Come and see me if you have anything you'd like to discuss. You may go." Lily raced back to the Gryffindor Common Room. She didn't feel like talking to anyone so she went up to her dorm and pulled the curtains around her bed shut. Lily fell fast asleep and dreamt that her parents were still alive. The next morning when Lily woke she peeked through a gap in the curtains. Bec was half under her bed muttering something about shoes and Candice was trying to tame her crazy hair.
"You're fighting a loosing battle there dear," the mirror said sleepily. Lily pulled her head back inside the curtains.
"Candi have you seen my shoes?"
"Yes I have Bec."
"Good where are they?"
"On your feet." Bec looked down sheepishly.
"Oops."
"Sometimes I wonder if you have a brain Bec," Tiriana Beldoff teased.
"Oh She does. She just uses it in the wrong areas," Lily piped up.
"Practical jokes are not the wrong area!"
"Whatever."
"Hey guess what?" Donia squealed.
"What?" Her friend Constance muttered.
"I heard McGonagall talking about a Foundation Dance! You know it's like 5000 years since Hogwarts was founded by Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin!"
"Ooh really?" Constance said waking up properly. Bec rolled her eyes as Constance, Tiriana and Donia started yakking away.
"Hogsmeade today!" Candice said happily. "I can't wait to go! I've heard so much about it!"
Bec seized her opportunity to tell Candice everything about Hogsmeade.
"Don't spoil it for me!" Candice scolded. They went down to the common room. Sirius was grinning about something.
"What is it this time?" Lily asked.
"Me and Prongs invented a spell. It's called the Dog Spell. We tested in on Snape! Now everytime he tries to talk he sounds like a poodle!" Lily burst out laughing.
"Ooh I have got to hear him!"
"Let's go down to breakfast! I'm hungry!" James said.
"You're always hungry!" Sirius teased.
"No I'm not! Only in the mornings!" Breakfast was interesting as usual.
"Hello Snape," Bec said sweetly.
"Aroo! Ar ar ar ar ah! Roof grrr!" Bec, Lily, Candice, Remus, James and Sirius roared with laughter and left an angry looking Snape behind.
After breakfast they went to Hogsmeade. Since the Foundation Dance was coming up the girls went to a new shop called 'Madam Zumpery's Dresses and Robes for all occasions.' The assistant Delilah took their measurements and told them to come back in 3 hours to pick up their dresses.
"Well where do you want to go first?" James asked.
"I don't care," Candice said. She was practically bursting from excitement.
"Ok how 'bout Zonko's then Honeydukes then the post office then the Three Broomsticks and then back to Madam whatever her name is to get our dresses?" Bec said.
"Ok by me," Sirius said. Candice loved Zonko's! Lily was sure that if she had the money she would've bought the whole shop. She thought Honeydukes and the post office were just as interesting.
"Let's go to the Three Broomsticks. I'm so thirsty!" Bec exclaimed. They sat at a table near the window and watched the people go past.
"Anyone got a date for the ball yet?" Candice asked.
"Nope," Lily said.
"Surely you one of the most popular 5th years would have been asked!?" Sirius teased.
"Well I haven't," Lily replied. "Unless you count that annoying 2nd year." Sirius found the fact that Lily hadn't been asked to the dance by anyone except a 2nd year incredibly funny.
"Has anyone been asked?" James said.
"I have," Candice said.
"Really by whom?" Bec pestered.
"Not telling!" Candice exclaimed in mock horror.
"Tell us or I'll turn you into a Flobberworm!" Sirius teased. Candice unfortunately believed he would do it.
"I asked her," Remus muttered before Candice could say anything.
"Did you really?" James asked.
"Yes he did!" Candice said.
"And what did you say?" Sirius teased.
"None of your business!"
"C'mon our dresses should be read now!" Lily said. They went to get their dresses. About half the girls in the school had the same idea. Finally the girls emerged from the shop holding a box each.
"I can't believe McGonagall left it so late to tell everyone!" Candice said. They walked down the main street passing groups of girls who burst into giggles when they passed.
"Honestly giggling should be banned!" Sirius sighed. "Say Bec wanna go to the dance with me?" Sirius looked ready to duck in case Bec tried to slap him again.
"Ok," She said simply. For some reason Bec was a tad too happy for the rest of the afternoon. Later that night all 6 were hanging around the common room. Sirius and Candice were playing chess. Bec was watching. Remus was doing his homework and watching. Lily was reading and James was watching her read.
(Hey I couldn't think of anything for James to do!)
"Say Lil?" He asked.
"Mmm?" Lily said without looking up.
"Wanna go to the dance with me? You don't have to. It was just a thought."
"Course I'll go with you! You always assume that I'll say no." Lily went back to reading her book.
"Um Lily? You usually read books the other way around!"
"Oh. It's more interesting this way," she said but she turned the book over anyway. The next two days went by in a blur. The teachers had agreed (with a little help from a potion that Sirius, James, Bec and Candice cooked up) to cancel classes on the day of the dance. Most children were pleased at this, the girls in particular. Late that afternoon Bec, Lily and Candice disappeared upstairs into their dorm to get ready. Once they were ready they went down to the common room.
Bec's dress was white, very tight and very, very short. It was downed with fake diamonds that made it seem almost silver in the light. She had on white sandals and her black hair was left out and she had used a spell on it to make it shine. Lily's dress was midnight blue. It came down to her ankles and had silver swirls along the bottom. Her hair was also left out and she had used the same spell that Bec had used to make it shiny. Candice's dress was lemon coloured with blue patterns on it. It was fairly long and went well with her dark brown curls. Somehow she had managed to control her hair and had put it into and elegant twist. When they came down into the common room all three boys were lost for words. Yes even Sirius who usually wouldn't shut up was speechless. Bec was getting annoyed at them.
"Hello! It's just us!" She said crossly.
"Huh? Oh hi. Should we go now?" Sirius said. Sadly he was back to his talkative self.
"Yes we should go now!" Bec said impatiently. The 6 went down to the Great Hall. Red, Green, Yellow and Blue decorations had been hung around it.
When Dumbledore opened the dance the music began. Students filled the floor. Candice and Remus had disappeared but Lily spotted them a few minutes after the dance had started.
"Want to dance Bec?" Sirius asked.
"Ok." Sirius looked surprised. "I'm not going to slap you if that's what you're worried about." Sirius seemed to relax a bit more when she told him that. They disappeared into a swarm of dancing students.
"He likes her you know," James said.
"Really? I hadn't guessed since it is the most obvious thing in world at the moment," Lily said sarcastically. James grinned at her then said,
"Care to dance Milady?" Lily laughed. "What? You don't like my gentleman act?"
"It doesn't suit you but yes I would like to dance," Lily teased.
"Good," James said with a smile. As they danced James became aware of nothing except the sparkling green eyes infront of him. He suddenly realised he was staring into Lily's eyes and turned away quickly. Lily, however, didn't seem to notice. Or maybe she did...
TO BE CONTINUED!
A/N: That is my longest story so far! I'm posting this with two different titles and under two different people! I'm working on part 2 at the moment! BYE AND PLEASE REVIEW!