Chapter One: Truth.

Lily Evans woke up on the morning of August the 20th feeling equal parts content and nervous, for reasons she could not yet understand.

The owl had come in the early morning, when she was still asleep. The letter was waiting on the table, significantly heavier than usual. Her mother had not said anything to her when she got up, so she had assumed that it was still not here yet. She walked into the kitchen, stifling a yawn as she opened up the refrigerator, leaning against the door, in search of something to eat.

Grabbing the jug of milk and a bowl from the cupboard, she began to make herself a bowl of cereal, until her eyes darted over to the table. And there, amidst the bills and the wedding magazines and the newspaper, was her letter.

She dropped the milk.

"Lily? What was that?" her mother called from the adjacent room. Lily rushed over to the table, fingering the letter carefully, sighing when she felt its weight.

"Nothing, Mum!" she yelled back.

She tore through the envelope, gingerly taking out the two letters and the badge. She smiled softly at it, the way it gleamed in the early morning light, before setting it aside and opening the first of the letters. It was from McGonagall, informing her of her newly-instated position as Head Girl. She placed the folded parchment next to her badge, unfolding the next letter; her supplies list.

She laughed to herself lightly, touching the badge. Lily glanced down and noticed the spilt milk, however, and quickly reached into her bathrobe and retrieved her wand. With a nonverbal incantation it was wiped up quickly, and just as she had stored her wand back into her robe, the phone beside the fridge rang shrilly.

"Lily, would you get that please?"

"Yes, Mum."

Lily grabbed the phone off its hook. "Hello?" she asked.

"Lily, the letters just came in! I didn't get it, obviously, and neither did Mary – that's a laugh – but I haven't talked to Dorcas or Molly yet, and I just wanted to –"

"Marlene. English, please."

"Right. Okay. Breathe. Okay. Did you get it?"

"Get what?"

Marlene scoffed over the phone, as if Lily was being incredibly daft. "Head Girl, of course!"

Lily smiled into the phone. She paused a moment, and sighed, "Yes, I did."

A squeal on the other end of the line. "I knew it! I knew it!"

Lily laughed. "Thanks, Mar. Do you and Mary want to go get the supplies today? I was planning on calling Alice, and seeing if she was busy today."

"Of course! We'll meet at The Leaky Cauldron at about noon?"

"Sounds good, love."

"Bye." Lily hung up the phone, chuckling to herself as her mother entered the kitchen.

Lily looked at her mother. Grace Evans was a beautiful woman, although life had not treated her kindly. She was in her early fifties, and her face was perhaps a little more creased than the average woman's. Her blonde hair, not unlike her eldest daughter's, was now streaked with grey, and her blue eyes were warm if not a little tired. Lily had inherited her father's green eyes, although her acquirement of the ginger hair has remained a mystery to the Evans family.

Mrs. Evans crossed her arms, leaning against the countertop and cocking her eyebrow at her daughter. "Well?" she asked, smiling when Lily couldn't restrain her smile.

"I got Head Girl," she whispered, handing her mother the letter from Professor McGonagall. Mrs. Evans smiled warmly at her daughter, pecking her on the cheek.

"I'm proud of you, sweetheart."

"Thanks, Mum. I'm going out with Marlene and Mary later, alright?"

"Of course, dear."

(Lily)

Lily Evans was of average height and weight. She had vibrant red hair and brilliant green eyes. She was above average, however, in various respects: she was of an unconventional beauty, and she was the top witch in their year, hence her standing as Head Girl. She followed the rules to a T, although she had a strong belief in doing things for the right reasons.

She was well-respected and intelligent, and she tended to put others' needs above her own, even if it was detrimental to herself. She was sweet and she was kind, but she was brave and headstrong, too, because she was not placed into Gryffindor on accident.

Lily Evans was not naïve enough to believe that she could know what true love was at seventeen. She would very soon prove herself wrong.

(The Potters)

It was, for James Potter, an ordinary day.

He had slept in, as he typically did, and his mother had nagged at him to get his arse out of bed and come downstairs for breakfast, as she typically did, and he was finally downstairs, his hair wet from his morning shower. He smiled at one of the house elves, named Honey, who walked towards him nervously, a letter in hand.

"Good morning, Master James," the little elf squeaked, trembling slightly as she handed him the letter.

"Thanks, Honey," he replied casually, patting her head.

He took it nonchalantly, noting that it seemed heavier this year (Strange, he thought) as he ripped the envelope across the top. As it opened, three things fell out: two slips of parchment, and a silver badge, with the letters H.B. scrawled on it in neat cursive writing.

James let all but one letter fall to the floor. The badge banged against the hardwoods, and a few house elves peeked their heads around the corners to locate the noise, and they saw a shocked James standing in the center of the foyer, letter in hand, his hazel eyes wide.

"Fuck."

(Diagon Alley)

"I told Mar you'd get it, of course, but she was still nervous – a bit silly, really. I mean, who else in our year is half as qualified as you to be – Lily are you listening to me?"

Mary Macdonald, wearing a light blue summer dress that complimented her blue eyes, poked Lily in the shoulder and rolled her eyes when her friend jumped. "What'd you say?" she asked. Mary tossed her long, dark hair over her shoulder, clucking her tongue as they walked.

"I said that I knew you'd be picked for Head Girl," she told her friend proudly, slinging an arm around the taller redhead's shoulders. "Any idea who Head Boy might be?"

"No," Lily sighed. "I owled Remus, but he hasn't responded yet. Don't think I'll need to worry about the other Marauders, do you?" Mary giggled, and the two stopped when Marlene reappeared in front of them, her arms laden with books from Flourish and Blotts.

"Alright," she huffed, doling out the textbooks accordingly. "Mary, these are ours. I'll take them back to my house later… Lily, here are yours."

"Thanks, Mar."

"Of course, love. Now what were you two talking about?" The trio continued walking back towards the Leaky Cauldron, Marlene falling into step seamlessly.

"Oh, Lily's just fretting about who's going to be Head Boy," Mary informed her idly with a wave of the hand. "It's all nonsense. She shouldn't be worried at all."

Marlene cast a furtive glance in Lily's direction, noting the forced strain of her smile. "It's him, isn't it? You're worried he's going to be the Head Boy."

Lily gave her a fleeting look, before sighing again and crossing her arms across her chest, locking the books into place. "I've already talked to the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff prefects," she said morosely. "If it's not Remus, who else could it be?"

Marlene patted her shoulder and smiled sympathetically at her friend. They walked through the doors of the Leaky Cauldron, taking seats at the bar. A familiar face appeared from the back, grinning cockily at them.

"Sirius Black," Lily laughed, propping her elbows up on the counter. "Bloody hell."

"Language, Evans," he teased, setting three Firewhiskeys in front of them. "And what brings you lovely ladies to this neck of the woods?"

"School, of course," Marlene answered, taking a sip. "I didn't know you were working here."

"Yep. Tom gave me the job, and a room upstairs."

"What about staying with James?" Lily asked.

Sirius shrugged noncommittally. "I didn't need to be a bother to them, anymore. I reckon I overstayed my welcome."

Lily searched his face for clues, but he remained typically blank-faced. She sighed, taking a drink from her own cup. "Have you seen Remus lately?" she asked after a beat.

He shook his head, leaning against the counter. The pub wasn't very busy, with only a few people meandering through on their way to Diagon Alley, and an elderly man seated by himself at the far end of the bar. "Letters came in though," he replied. "Reckon that's why you three were shopping?"

Lily waved her letter for confirmation. Mary piped up, "Lily's gotten Head Girl."

Sirius grinned cheekily at her, winking. "Did she now?"

Lily stuck her tongue out at him and swatted his arm. "Yes. Doubt I'll be able to control you, nevertheless."

"Me, Evans? Why, I'm a saint."

"Obviously."

The elderly man grunted. "Black," he croaked. "Get me 'nother." Sirius sighed and gave the man a thumbs up before disappearing through the back. He returned with a bottle of bourbon, and topped the man off. He came back to stand with the girls a moment later, assuming his position against the counter.

They were quiet for a moment, the girls sipping from their drinks while Sirius ventured over to tend to the elderly man again, who was slurring at him in words that didn't make sense. Sirius returned, and then asked, "So, just you three today? No Alice?" Lily shook her head.

"Auror training," she replied. "Couldn't take today off. We're to see her soon, though."

The bell above the door chimed, and in walked Remus Lupin.

He looked well, if a little tired, and as he approached the four Gryffindors, he waved. He took a seat beside Lily, and Sirius poured him a glass of Firewhiskey. Remus smiled at him in thanks, and then turned to the three girls. "How are all of you?" he asked, swallowing some of his drink.

They all responded with varying degrees of wellness, and then Lily asked, "Remus, have you opened your Hogwarts letter yet?"

He could see the nervousness in her green eyes – she was practically pleading with him to tell her that he had been given the badge. And although Remus knew, even without opening the letter, that he was not Head Boy, it still made him a bit sad to voice it aloud. "It isn't me, Lily," he told her gently, giving her a sad smile.

She sighed and nodded, placing her hand in her chin. "Bloody hell. This could be a long year."

(The Potters, again)

His mother screamed.

"James! James! Head Boy! This is unbelievable! This is - "

"Yeah, yeah, fucking splendid," James muttered, messing his hair subconsciously. He watched his mother pore over the letter for the hundredth time. "Mum, I know you're happy, but…"

"Happy? James, after six years of receiving letters from Albus detailing all of your acts of rebellion – all of which I'm sure were very cleverly planned out," she added at her son's look of indignation, "it's marvelous to hear something positive, hm?"

"Mum, I told you, there must've been a mistake, or something…"

"James, don't look too excited, there."

"But you said so yourself! For years all I did was get into trouble, and now…"

Mrs. Potter smiled at her son, touching his face lightly. Jane Potter was in her early seventies, but, as was wizard custom, she appeared to be only forty. She had black hair, like her son, and the same hazel eyes, although her face was softer and more lined than his own. Her eyes always appeared warm, and knowing, as though she was always aware of his tricks but didn't trouble herself with lectures, since he would simply ignore them anyway.

"Albus is a smart man, James," she said softly. "I've known him for a very long time. He chose you for a reason, dear." She patted his cheek and walked away, still sighing contentedly, the letter clutched in her hand. James could hear her scrawling a note to her husband, Charles, at the Ministry. He watched her tuck the letter inside the envelope with the note, and then sent the family owl, Xavier, off.

James ran a hand through his already messy hair, and mumbled a farewell to his mother as he grabbed his wand and walked out the front door. Once he got out of the range of the wards, he Apparated.

(James)

James Potter was, by all accounts, "something else entirely."

He had messy black hair and hazel eyes rimmed with square spectacles that he constantly had to push up, due to their largeness. He was built strongly, and was remarkable at Quidditch – and he was aware of the fact. James did not follow the rules, nor did he try to, although he shared with Lily the belief in doing things for the right reasons. Or the wrong ones. He wasn't picky.

He was popular, and well-liked, mostly by the female population, although he had his heart set on one particular redhead.

The same redhead that he was determined not to think about.

Bugger.

(A Marauder Reunion)

When he arrived, the sun was just beginning to set. He walked through the Leaky Cauldron tiredly, slumping down in a bar stool next to Remus. "Prongs, mate," Sirius chanted, pouring him a glass of Firewhiskey. "Bloody hell, you look like shit."

"Yes, well," James muttered, taking a giant gulp of the liquid. He sucked the air between his teeth at the sting, but perservered anyway.

"Merlin. Term hasn't even started yet and he's already like this," Sirius remarked.

"What do you reckon it's about?" Remus asked. James glared at both of them.

"Lily?"

"Doubt it. Which, you did miss her here earlier, mate."

"Our good old friend Snivellus?"

"Can't be."

"Hogwarts letter?"

"Maybe, but why -" Remus stopped short, gasping suddenly. James looked at him forlornly, downing the rest of his Firewhiskey. Sirius topped off his drink again, looking between the two of his friends.

"Prongs, tell me it isn't."

"It is."

"It can't be."

"Oh, but it is."

And then Remus began to laugh.

He banged his fist against the table, startling a few of the patrons in the pub, and Sirius gawked at his friend in confusion. "What the bloody hell is going on here?" he asked. James continued to look miserable while Remus wiped the tears from his eyes, clapping James on the shoulder.

"Prongs, over here, has been made Head Boy."

Sirius blinked. And then he and Remus began to laugh together, James muttering about his sodding friends and how bloody ridiculous they were being.

"We should call Peter," Sirius chuckled, trying to smother his grin, "it'd be a right Marauder reunion!"

James took another swig of his drink, glaring at his friends as they stopped their laughter. "Just wait till Lily hears," Remus sighed, shaking his head and sipping his own Firewhiskey.

"Why?" James asked suddenly, defensively.

Remus and Sirius exchanged a look, and then Remus eyed his friend warily. "Because," he said at length, "Lily is Head Girl."

James groaned again. "This just gets better and better," he muttered.

(Of Late)

Running her hands through her towel-dried hair, Lily sat on her bed and grabbed her Hogwarts letter, skimming the list of requirements to ensure that she had picked up everything in Diagon Alley that day. She was startled by a loud tap on her window, and seeing a tawny owl outside, she ran over and unlatched it. She retrieved a treat for the owl as she took the letter from its beak, petting the head affectionately as she read.

She dropped the letter on the bed in shock.

"Unbelievable," she muttered, internally swearing.

Rubbing the bridge of her nose, Lily penned a quick reply, tucking it into the owl's beak. She waited for the owl to disappear from sight before latching the window again and collapsing on her bed in defeat. She stared at the letter beside her, snatching it away and throwing it into the trash can.

"Bloody hell."

Lily,

Thought you'd want to know: James is Head Boy.

Good luck.

Remus

Remus,

Bloody hell.

Lily