"Lily Evans."

The girl in question froze. She was eighteen. Eighteen. So close to freedom yet so far. Her arms hung limply at her sides, her hair whipped lightly by the breeze, her eyes staring, empty, aghast, at the pretty escort standing on the stage, her eyes roving the crowd of girls, seeking her target.

Lily had thought, if it ever came to this, that she'd be brave. Tears choked her, threatening to shatter that dream - this was being televised. She couldn't look weak - she'd just be a meal for the Careers. Her brain whirred, but there was no escaping. No plan ready to be devised to weasel her way out of this one. She'd have to save that mentality for the arena.

"Lily Evans!" The escort repeated, slightly more urgently. "Come on then, dear!"

Lily finally snapped out of her daze.

Girls around her shuffled out of her way, refusing to meet her eyes - sympathetic, but thankful that they had been granted another year of life. A line opened up in front of her into the main aisle - she felt her body forcing itself to walk along it, her head whipping around and searching for her mother, her sister - neither was making a sound. Tears streaked endlessly down Mrs Evans' cheeks, whilst Petunia stood still, collected, her face pinched into a pained expression. No matter how many arguments they'd had, nothing was worth the Reaping.

Then -

James.

Oh dear lord, James. Peacekeepers appeared behind her, pushing her forward, deeming her too slow for their liking. She twisted desperately, searching for her boyfriend, looking for that dark messy hair, those piercing hazel eyes in the crowd - she knew what he'd do, and she couldn't let him.

"Don't!" was all she managed to splutter out before she was shoved onto the stage, and the escort wrapped an arm around her shoulders - a friendly gesture, or just making sure she wouldn't flit away? Lily cursed herself. She must have looked like a downright prat on the television. Why couldn't she be cool, calm and collected? Why couldn't she pull off the same air of confidence as a Career? Sickly, flowery perfume from the escort's sleeve curled into Lily's nostrils. She almost wrinkled her nose in disgust and pushed the woman away - but that would surely get her in trouble.

The escort spoke a few more words, but they whirled straight over Lily's head, who was trying and failing to spot James Potter.

Then another slip was paper was pulled out of the boys' reaping ball, and Lily prayed to anyone, anything, that it wouldn't be him.

Please... please...

"Gary McColan."

A sob cracked through the crowd - the boy's mother. Lily would have been relieved if she didn't know her boyfriend so well.

James, please don't -

"I volunteer!"

The voice was strong, daring anyone to contest it - a few gasps escaped the crowd, and the original male tribute's mother stopped crying with a surprised intake of breath.

Their District hadn't had a volunteer in... well, ever.

"Wonderful!" The escort clapped her hands in glee as James Potter pushed his way out of the crowd. He didn't meet Lily's eyes even once, and kept a careful distance from the Peacekeepers behind him, not letting them touch him even once. Onto the stage he went, and Lily tried to glare at him as best she could, clamping her jaw harshly, and in the split second before the escort addressed the crowd, the tension between them hung like an unpleasant odour.

"Ladies and gentlemen, our tributes!" shrieked the escort gleefully. "Lily Evans and James Potter!" The crowd clapped, out of obedience rather than admiration. When the fuss was over and the two teenagers were bundled into the Justice Building to say goodbye to their last visitors, Lily managed to corner her boyfriend.

"You idiot! Why the hell did you do that, James? I could have won, but now with you in the mix-"

"You're going to win, Lily."

"What?"

"You're going to win. I'm going to make sure of it."

Lily slapped him. Hard. Her hand stung, but that didn't stop her from wanting to hit him again. James ignored his reddening cheek, fixing her with a quizzical look.

"How dare you." Lily hissed. "How dare you. Let me tell you something now, James Potter. You're going to win this year's Games, and if you even try to stop me I'll stab you in the most painful non-lethal area so hard your mother's mother will feel it. Understand?"

"We're just going to have to agree to disagree." said James, shrugging. Lily's hand twitched, as if she were going to slap him again, before a Peacekeeper slammed a hand onto her shoulder and dragged her towards a room, where her mother and sister were waiting.