Hello and thanks for reading!
As advertised, this story is very AU. This main thing I changed from cannon were the main characters' birthdays, both in season and year. Because of this, James was older and more mature when he met Lily (who, herself, was younger and less mature), and so they didn't have years of hating each other. Similarly, since Lily was so much younger than Snape, they never really met, and he got more heavily into the dark arts at an earlier age. Also, since writing this, I discovered that what year you start Hogwarts is dependent on your age as of September 1st, but for this story, it's how public schools do it – that is, your age as of January 1st. This chapter covers an entire school year, so I hope you like it and please review!
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Lily Evans was a shy girl. She had always leaned toward the shy disposition, but when she started at Hogwarts at the age of eleven, she felt completely out of place and had become even more introverted. She had a few people with whom she was friendly, but she was far from some of the outgoing, popular girls in her year. It came as a great surprise to her, then, when someone interrupted her breakfast with a greeting.
"Hello," the voice said cheerily. She looked up and recognized him as James Potter, an attractive fourth year she'd heard her friends swoon over countless times before. She instantly felt nervous and self-conscious.
"Hello," she returned tentatively, with obvious question in her voice.
"How're you doing this fine morning?" he asked with a chipper smile, taking a slice of toast from her plate and munching on it.
"Why are you here?" she questioned instead of answering. She had a terrible feeling she was falling victim to some horrible prank.
"Can't a friendly student take interest in a fellow Gryffindor?" He was already half way through the toast.
"Not usually, no," she informed him cautiously. He responded with a melodramatic sigh.
"Fine, you've got me," he admitted, finishing off the toast. "My mates were insinuating that I was antisocial, and would be 'lost without them'," he told her, making mime quotation marks at the last phrase. "I decided I'd prove them wrong by coming over here and striking up a conversation with a dashing… third year? Really? I thought I knew all the third years," he said frankly.
"What makes you think I'm a third year?" Lily asked, confused.
"Your copy of 'Standard Book of Spells, Year 3'," James explained, reaching across the table and grabbing her pumpkin juice.
Lily watched, astonished at his audacity, as the enigmatic boy took a large swig from her glass. "Oh, I just like to study ahead in my spare time. I'm in second year." This earned her a laugh so forceful, several drops of her pumpkin juice were lost in the process.
"Are you for serious?" James asked her, still guffawing.
"Err, yes," she said, unsure what about her statement would have elicited this reaction
"Merlin, chill out, girl," he said, wiping his eyes.
"Chill out?" Lily was aware, somewhere in a recess of her mind, that if this were anyone other than a fit fourth year, she would have lost her temper already. Instead, it seemed a great success that she was still forming words.
"Uh-huh," he nodded. "Deep breath in, deep breath out, you know the drill."
"And why would I want to do that?" Her voice sounded weird to her own ears.
"Because you're only in second year. No need to get your knickers in a twist this early. Just enjoy second year."
Lily had flushed at a mention of her knickers, but she tried to ignore the remark as best as possible. "I think it's been a while since you were in second year, Potter," she said snootily.
"Oh, Evans!" he exclaimed in a show of great distress. "I thought our bond was closer than last names!" When she said nothing, he continued on in a normal voice. "Anyway, it was only two years ago – I remember it fine."
"Really? No Hogsmeade trips, no classes you get to choose, the spells are still boring…" She trailed off, not wanting to admit that those were the only downsides she could think of.
"True, true, true," he acknowledged with a nod of the head at each item. "But look on the bright side," he started. "At least your boobs are finally coming in," he finished with a bold smile and pointed stare at her chest. Lily could feel blood flood her face, colouring it deep crimson. "Maybe soon you'll need a bra with a wire," he told her with a wink. He stood up from his spot, leaving a very mortified Lily still sitting. "See you around, Evans!" he called over his shoulder.
Lily slumped her head down on the table in front of her, deeply resenting how much power older boys had over her emotions. She thought back to her previous year at Hogwarts, remembering that James's birthday had been in January. What with hers being in December, she mentally reasoned that he was nearly three years older than her. She'd seen him mouth off to teacher and disregard rules; she knew that she should want nothing to do with him, especially with that comment, but she couldn't help but wish he started conversations with her more. Boys are such trouble, she thought grumpily, idly wishing, not for the first time, that Hogwarts had been all girls, allowing her to happily finish going through puberty in peace.
Ooooo
From that point on, James Potter invaded Lily's mind, taking up every spare moment. She tried to avoid staring at him during mealtime, or when they were both in the common room, but she didn't seem to be able to help it. She'd even admitted to Marlene the other day that she adored his hair, something that she never would have done before. Now it seemed like her entire dorm knew her secret, what with their knowing glances and sly mentions of the Quidditch player himself.
It was a fairly average Tuesday night for Lily, which she spending her new average way: casually doing homework whilst simultaneously eyeing James from across the room. However, unlike the past few weeks, where she was able to do this in peace, this time, her stares didn't seem to go unnoticed.
"Hello Evans," a certain raven-haired wizard chirped, plopping himself down next to her on the couch. He promptly stretched his arm out behind her, resting it on the surface of the sofa. Lily was suddenly overcome with an immensely strong desire for that arm to be on her shoulders instead, but she tried to ignore it.
"Hello," she responded nonchalantly, keeping her eyes on her homework.
"What's going on?" he asked casually, knowingly.
"Homework," she said blandly. She was pretty sure she was already blushing, and she wasn't even looking at him.
"Oh, yes, I can see. Quite the diligent student you are, Evans. Eyes never leave the page." He was clearly amused. Lily didn't say anything, focusing all her might on staring at the work in front of her. With a slight sigh, James reached over and plucked the page out from her hands.
"Hey!" she protested, but James silenced her with a finger over her lips, as he looked at her work. Lily was so surprised by the contact, she didn't make a peep, instead going somewhat cross-eyed to stare at his hand; in the process, she noticed that it smelled quite nice.
After a moment, James returned the paper to her. "It depends on the concentration of the beverage and the humidity of the day," he said, answering the first question. He went through the remaining ten in fairly rapid succession.
"Wow, thank you," Lily said, amazed, quickly scribbling down all the answers. "How did you do that?"
"Well, it is second year work," James said with a chuckle. "Plus Transfiguration has always been a special talent of mine." Lily nodded slightly and stared at her hands, feeling incredibly uncomfortable. She was acutely aware of his hazel eyes staring at her out of her peripheral vision. "You know, it might be me, but you seem to be very awkward around me. Is it because I mentioned your barely-b's over there?" he questioned with a gesture at her chest.
Lily looked into the corner, willing herself to be anywhere else. She was amused and enraged, and acted on neither impulse. After a silent moment, James laughed again, standing up. "You're only embarrassed 'cause you're twelve. When someone tells you that in two years, you'll be ecstatic they noticed them at all." With that, he followed Sirius out of the common room. Lily sighed, noting with some entertainment that she never even got a chance to tell him that she was still eleven.
Ooooo
"Hey Pigeon," Lily heard, a moment before she felt an arm on her shoulder. She looked up to see James Potter sit down next to her at the Gryffindor table. She was almost unable to think about anything other than the fact that James Potter had his arm around her.
"Pigeon?" she questioned, looking up.
"We watched Lady and the Tramp in Muggle Studies," one of his friends explained. "He thinks you're like the cocker spaniel." The friend, Remus, Lily thought he was called, took a seat on the other side of the table. Lily had seen Lady and the Tramp when she was much younger, but she had no idea what the nickname 'Pigeon' had to do with the movie and decided to keep this to herself.
"So Pigeon," James continued. "Did you like my gift?"
"Your gift?" Lily had no idea what he was talking about.
"Oh, you didn't find anything at the foot of your bed this morning?"
Lily slammed her hands down on the table and turned to face him fully, gaping. "That was from you? How did you even get it up there?"
"A Marauder always has his ways," he said, tapping his nose. "So, did you like it?"
"Did I like finding someone else's bra on top of my things? No, not particularly."
"Oh, nonsense, Pidg, you loved it. Besides, it was time. Aren't most girls your age excited about getting their first bra?"
"No, they're mortified," she corrected blandly. "And even if they were excited, it would be over the prospect of getting a new bra, which this one was not."
"Alright, alright, you got me. It was one of Sirius's birds'."
"That's disgusting. Why did you think I would like that?"
"Because it was very sweet of me! I saw it and thought right of you!"
Lily snorted rather unflatteringly. "Oh, alright," she said with an eye roll. "So you said to yourself, here's something made for breasts! I know someone who sort of has breasts!"
James laughed out loud. "I said, hey, I know someone who's probably a 32A and would appreciate some padding."
"Oh, gee, thanks," Lily told him sarcastically. She was sure she was blushing a little, but she seemed to be getting better at controlling the colour of her face.
"Try it out, see if you like it," he said with a pat on her shoulder. Then he got up and left. Lily watched him go and wondered to herself, somewhat dejectedly, why he never seemed to want to converse for more than two minutes.
Ooooo
Lily was staring into the face of her toad with great disdain. She had never had anything against her toad, but it seemed that he just was unwilling to turn into a water goblet. "Come on Toady," she cooed. "You can do it. You live in water all day anyway – now you'll just hold some!"
Just when she felt thoroughly pathetic, James plunked himself down in the seat opposite hers. "Veraverto," he said clearly, and Lily watched as her toad turned into a pristine, sparkling glass goblet.
"Now that's just unfair," She grumbled at the boy, crossing her arms petulantly.
James merely chuckled. "You have a toad for a pet? That's hilarious."
"They happen to make excellent pets," Lily insisted.
"Oh yes," James agreed, nodding eagerly. "The warts really add something the owl and cat are missing."
Lily leaned in toward the table, looking like she was going to divulge a big secret. Instead, however, at the last minute, she bent down to the goblet. "Don't listen to him, Toady. He's just being cruel."
"And you named your toad Toady," James observed lightly. "You really are something, Pigeon, aren't you? Way more than meets the eye with the average twelve-year-old girl."
"I'm actually eleven," she corrected, slightly embarrassed by how young that would seem to someone like James.
He brought a hand to his hair and pushed some of it back. "Oh, really, when's your birthday?"
"Next week, actually," she told him, not making eye contact. She felt pretty awkward.
"Oh, man, that's exciting! I'll have to get you something!"
"As long as it's not another used bra," Lily said, blushing.
"I make no guarantees," he said solemnly. Lily was positively gleeful at the prospect of him getting her something.
They were his old Transfiguration notes, and she was happy as a clam.
Ooooo
Lily hadn't interacted with James in over a month, and she as woman enough to admit that she was rather depressed about it. She had thought that they had a special kind of budding friendship, and she fantasized about it almost every night. After he had gotten her a birthday present, she thought that he might have gotten her something for Christmas; she checked her window excitedly every morning of the break, but he never owled her. When she came back, he didn't so much as come round to say hi. So here Lily found herself, staring gloomily out at the desolate February landscape, feeling very sorry for herself. She happily chatted with some of her dorm mates when she could, but she didn't have a truly good friend there. Last year she had had Severus, but they were hanging out less and less. Lily berated herself for thinking her thing with James was something that it wasn't.
Ooooo
Lily Evans was having a horrible day. Lily Evans was, perhaps, having the worst day of her entire life. She had overslept, causing her to rush to class without breakfast. As she sat there, she felt an odd heavy feeling in her abdomen, but what it meant to her didn't become clear until she walked up to Professor McGonagall's desk at the end of class to turn in her work. She wasn't likely to forget the laughter and jibes she heard as she fled the classroom any time soon.
She had tried to skip lunch too, not wanting to see anyone, but she was absolutely starving, and decided that she would have to pluck up some Gryffindor courage and face her peers. She was leaning against the wall near the Great Hall with her eyes closed, taking a few steadying breaths, when she heard his voice.
"Pigeon!" he called excitedly. Lily's eyes popped open, willing it to be anyone else. James ran up to her with a huge grin. "Are the rumours true? Are you finally a woman?" He gave her a charming wink as he asked.
"Oh go away!" she whined, the tears she had been holding back finally falling free. "You're the last person I would possibly want to see. What, you don't talk to me for three months, and then you just have to come rub the most mortifying experience of my life all in my face an hour after it's happened?" She turned sharply on her heels and started marching away from the Great Hall.
"Whoa, hold up," James called, catching up to her easily. "I was only trying to be fun. No reason to huff and puff."
"Oh, you were only trying to be fun? Well you can take your optimism and shove it," she said, trying to sound strong, but failing, as she was still crying.
James chuckled good-heartedly as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Alright, calm down. It's not as bad as you think."
"It's not as bad as I think? Today's supposed to be horrible for the average girl!"
"Ok, you got your period during class and people noticed. I'll admit, that's probably not the best time to get it, but every girl gets one. No one's going to laugh for very long." They were still walking idly away from the Great Hall.
"But they're laughing right now. And I'm starving, and I really don't want to go in there."
"Wait, that's all you're worried about? No problem! One fine-looking Marauder to the rescue!" James called merrily.
"I don't understand," Lily stated after a few silent moments.
"Not to worry, Pidg, not to worry. All will become clear." He promptly led her under a tapestry, and within a few moments, they were standing before a picture of some fruit. As James started tickling the pear, Lily couldn't help but giggle, asking, "What are you doing?"
Instead of answering, James led her into the newly-apparent room, saying, "Welcome, dear Pigeon, to the kitchens!"
"I beg your pardon?" she asked, stepping in.
"The kitchens," he repeated, the grandeur from his earlier expression suddenly gone. "You know, where food is made?"
"Sure, ok," she agreed looking around at the new room. "And why are we here?"
"To get you food," James answered. "You know, for a brainy type, you really are quite slow."
Lily ignored the insult and turned to face him. "So your solution to my problems was to go and steal food?"
"Steal?" he questioned, throwing his hands over his heart melodramatically. "What kind of person do you take me for?" He pulled over a chair and sat himself down in it unceremoniously. After a moment, Lily did the same thing.
"Well, I was going to say a thief, but it wouldn't appear that you're a very good one."
"Oh, Pigeon, you wound me. I'll have you know that I'm an excellent thief when the situation arises."
"Oh, I bet," Lily agreed with an eye roll. "So, food?"
"Yes, food!" James shouted happily. However, no food was forthcoming.
"I'm not really sure what's going on here, but I'm really hungry," Lily said sceptically.
"Merlin, kids these years!" James exclaimed, "they've no patience at all!"
"I'm three years younger than you," she observed lightly, trying to hide the sting of him thinking her a child.
"Mmhmm, and what a difference it makes, Pigeon. What a difference it makes," he told her, slowly shaking his head back and forth as if deep with regret.
Lily waited a moment to see if he had anything else to add, but the boy was silent. "Right, so, food…" she began once again.
"If you would just wait one gosh-darned moment, you'd understand," he replied bitingly, but his eyes were bright and twinkling.
"Alright," Lily appeased, raising her hands in a show of surrender. True to form, a moment later, a house elf appeared before them.
"Mr. Potter!" he greeted excitedly. "What can I get for you today?"
"Hmm," James hummed, bringing a hand to his chin in mock though. "I suppose a plate a sandwiches would be spiffy," he decided. "But I think my friend here may need something chocolate. Can you work on that?"
Lily reached over and hit him lightly in the arm, but the elf had already left, saying "Yes, sir, right away!"
"I hate you so much," she deadpanned.
"Nah, those are the hormones talking. You love me." Lily laughed lightly, wondering just how close to the truth that really was.
They sat in silence for a few moments following, until James decided to break the ice. "So, tell me," he began, slapping his hands down on the table. "How does it feel to bleed out your vagina?"
"Oh, don't even go there."
Roughly half an hour later, after James had walked her to the portrait, Lily was feeling much better about herself. "Well, Pigeon, this is where I bid you adieu," he said solemnly. Lily made a face that let him know exactly how she felt about that, to which James gave a quick chortle. "Not anxious to see your classmates again, I take it. Don't think they've forgotten yet?"
"I don't think they'll ever forget," Lily whined, leaning back into the wall behind her.
"Oh, sure they will!" James countered confidently. "Someone will do something scandalous sooner or later, you can count on it." After this, James leaned in closer to her, something which caused her heart to speed up quite a bit. "Besides," he nearly whispered, "no bloke ever wants to get with a bird that hasn't blossomed." With a dashing wink, he was off, leaving Lily only with incredibly red cheeks and a lot to ponder.
Ooooo
"I cannot believe they did that," Marlene said, taking a seat beside Lily in History of Magic.
"No me neither," Mary sniffed, joining the group. "They crossed a line."
"They're the worst," Alice concurred from where she was already seated.
The group of four would have look quite unusual to an outsider, as they were all dripping wet. When the Marauders had charmed the ceiling of the Great Hall to rain down on its students – only to pull out four matching umbrellas – they had indeed crossed a line: they had ruined these second years' hairdos for the day.
"I mean really," Marline continued. "I don't mind a good prank, but hair should be off limits." She was running a comb through her precious raven locks as they spoke, and her statement was met with three hearty hums of agreement.
"I thought it was kind of funny," Lily said mildly. She had pulled her still wet hair back into a ponytail, to keep the onslaught of frizz that would soon follow at bay.
Marlene scoffed at her statement. "You might be able to forgive them just because you're in love with one of them, but the rest of us still have a right to be upset."
"I'm sorry?" Lily said, feigning ignorance. She refused to make eye contact with her and maintained aloof, despite her blush.
"Oh, come off it, Lily. We all know you're mad about Potter."
It was at that moment that Professor Binns chose to start his lecture, and Lily was incredibly grateful for the distraction. As she pulled out her quill and ink, she couldn't help but think, am I really that obvious?
Ooooo
It was a mid-March night and Lily was the only one in the common room. She almost always kept a very strict bedtime regiment, but she had only realized at dinner time that she had done her entire Transfiguration essay incorrectly, and was forced to stay up until the wee hours of the morning to fix it. She indulged in a big, loud yawn, as she looked at her watch and saw that it was two thirty in the morning. This was the latest she had ever been up in her life.
Lily heard the portrait open, and she looked up to see the Marauders walk in. "Pigeon!" James cried excitedly, coming over to her couch. He looked very pensive.
"Hey," she said softly. She wasn't entirely sure what she was supposed to call him – was 'James' too personal for someone she'd really only spoken to a handful of times?
"You have flaming red hair," James observed. Lily nodded her head in slight confusion, not trusting her voice to speak. "And your birthday is rather close to Christmas," he noted. He considered this for a moment before concluding, "it must have been hard for you when you were younger."
"Where is this coming from?" she asked with a small smile.
"Just a sudden bout of empathy," James insisted animatedly.
"Just a sudden bout of firewhisky," Remus corrected.
Lily chuckled briefly, before returning to staring at her essay. "Say, isn't this rather late for you Pidg? I thought your bedtime was hours ago!"
Lily rolled her eyes, wishing, not for the first time, that she wasn't so much younger than him. "Finishing an essay," she said, by way of explanation.
James gasped dramatically, snatching the scroll out of her lap. "You didn't finish this days ago? You waited until the last minute?" He sounded as though he was making the revelation of the century. "Why Pigeon, I feel like a proud father," he declared, wiping a fake tear out of his eye. Then he glanced at the title of the essay. "And of course, it's Transfiguration," he said with a smile. He grabbed for her quill and turned to the last page, reading the opening sentence for that paragraph. He quickly started scribbling something down, much to Lily's protestation.
"It needs to be in my own words," she had claimed. "You haven't read the rest of the essay; it won't make sense," she had tried instead. "If you write it for me, I'll never learn," she had even thrown out there in desperation. Finally, she went to her last ditch complaint: "McGonagall will see that it's not in my handwriting," she told him, anxiety evident in her voice.
At that moment, James finished, and tossed the scroll back to Lily. "Your writing's actually pretty similar to mine, Pidg. G'night!" He took a light jog over to the boys' staircase and disappeared upstairs. Lily quickly read over what he had written, before heading to the stairs herself, albeit much slower.
Before she shut her eyes, she had only one thing to say: "James Potter. Even when you're drunk, you're a genius."
Ooooo
"I'm so excited we'll be flying again," Alice said happily, buttering her toast.
"Speak for yourself," Lily groaned, covering her face with her hands. "The highlight of last year was the knowledge that I would never have to get on a broomstick again in my life." Their new defense teacher this year, Miss Southwick (who refused to be called 'Professor Southwick," to avoid sounding old and boring), had decided that flying should be in the second and third year curriculum, lest they be in a situation where they needed to flee from danger.
"I'm happy to fly again for class, but I don't really see how it's necessary for Defense Against the Dark Arts," Marlene observed. "I mean, the only way I could fly away would be if I had brought my broomstick with me, which is a little unrealistic."
"Tell me about it," Lily whined, having said the same thing to Miss Southwick just yesterday. "I tried to tell her that an entire class would be too much for her to handle, and you know what she told me?"
"What?" Mary asked curiously.
"She's recruited the four Quidditch teams to help each of their houses!" Lily had declared this in quite the upset manner, but the other three girls didn't seem to share her opinion.
"That sounds fun," Mary said, not seeing the downside.
"Yeah, I'd love to learn from them. I bet they're great!" said Alice.
"What's the problem, Lily?" Marlene questioned.
"The problem? The problem is that now I have to embarrass myself in front of my own Quidditch team too! I was okay when it was just Madam Hooch and my own year, but now my disastrous flying skills will be the talk of my entire house," Lily complained miserably.
"I doubt they care that much," Mary argued reasonably.
"You know, for someone who got her period in front of her entire class, I would have thought you'd be more accustomed to embarrassment," Marlene pointed out, earning her a crust of bread in the face.
After a few minutes of eating, Lily had a shocking realization. She sat straight up, catching the attention of her friends. "James is on the Quidditch team, isn't he?" she asked anxiously, causing all three girls to start howling with laughter. "What about this is funny?" she hissed, wishing they would quiet down. "I don't get it."
"Lily," Marlene explained between sniggers, "you have got to be the only person in all of Hogwarts that doesn't know that Potter's our star chaser."
"I mean, come on," Alice said, wiping her eyes. "If you'd been to a single game, you would have known that."
"Oh shut up," Lily told them, but she didn't get to go much further, because two hands came down on her shoulders.
"What's so funny?" James asked, turning Lily's entire face bright red.
Lily instantly called out "Nothing!" but it was drowned out by Marlene snidely saying, "Lily didn't know you were on the Quidditch team."
"Pigeon!" he cried, sitting down backwards on the bench beside her. "Could this be true?"
"I knew, I was just verifying," Lily claimed indignantly.
"I'm crushed all the same," he said dejectedly.
"So Potter, we hear you're going to be helping us with our flying," Mary said, with a wink at Lily.
"Ah yes, the Captain did say something about that. You don't mean to say that that's your class, Pigeon?" He was waggling his eyebrows at her a little.
"Oh, no, must be someone else's," she insisted quietly, casually wiping some hair out of her eyes.
"She can't fly," Alice whispered loudly at him, as if it were the secret of the century.
"Can't fly?" James questioned, leaving his mouth agape. "That must be so embarrassing," he said with a smirk, adding, "for you," looking right at Lily.
"Yeah, yeah, it's mortifying," she said picking up her bag and swinging it over her shoulder. She glared at each of her friends before starting toward the doors to the Great Hall.
"See you in class, Pidg!" James shouted merrily at her retreating figure.
Ooooo
The one benefit of the flying classes, Lily mused as she waited for them to start, is that she was able to wear something other than Hogwarts robes. She had opted for track pants and a Beatles t-shirt, pulling her hear back in high ponytail and slipping on some runners. She felt that she looked very athletic, even if she was really anything but.
"Alright second years!" someone called out, and Lily turned to look with a sense of dread. The boy was very tall and strongly built – she assumed it was the captain. "Miss Southwick has asked us to improve your flying skills. Of course, you all learned how to fly from Madam Hooch last year, so I feel no need to go over the basics." Lily thought her stomach might just drop out of her body at those words. "So, I want everyone up in the air. We're going to start going in slow laps around the pitch." He concluded his small speech by clapping his hands, and a few confident students immediately started flying up.
Lily bent down and picked up her broom (never having quite mastered the 'up!' command) and stared at it as if it was the most offensive object in the world. While most of the class was now in the air, she was incredibly relieved that there were a few others who didn't feel comfortable with that. Members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team started coming up to each of these students, and it looked as if Lily would be getting the captain. She couldn't decide if she was terrified at the prospect of being approached by such a large, imposing seventh year, or simply relieved that it wasn't James.
"Hey Red," he called, zeroing in on her, "why aren't you up?"
Lily opened her mouth, about to explain that she simply couldn't get there, but at the last moment, she changed tactics. "I'm afraid I have terrible cramps. I simply can't fly today."
"Cramps?" he asked, clearly surprised by her answer.
"Menstrual," she elaborated in a cheery tone.
The boy looked uncomfortable for a moment, but then he appeared merely annoyed. "I think you can manage; why don't we get you on that broomstick?"
"Oh, no, I can't. They're debilitating."
"Debilitating?"
"Yes, the cramps."
"Alright, look here. I'm captain of the team, and I'm in charge. I'll be the one who grades you, so get on that broomstick now." Lily was actually a little afraid of him now, but not as much as she was of flying. She took a step back, trying to think of what to say.
"Hey, Jake," James said, stepping in beside him. "A few of them claim they never learned in first year, so I figured I'd take them over by the lake and do some remedial classes." Jake nodded in acquiescence. "Why don't I take her too?"
The captain looked as though he was going to put up a fight, but after a deep sigh, he threw his hands up in the air. "Fine, take her. I'll be glad to get rid of her."
"Splendid!" James exclaimed, giving Lily a wink. Then he reached over and took her broomstick, before walking over to the group and down to the lake.
"Thanks," Lily said quietly as they were setting up.
"Don't even mention it," he said happily. "Besides, I have heard that you can't fly – that is, even when your menstrual cramps are permitting." She shoved him playfully, then took her broom back and headed over to stand with the other students.
Ooooo
"I think I've realised to problem with you kids," James told Lily wearily, while packing up the broomsticks after practise. It had been an absolute disaster, and not one the second years was any closer to being able to fly by the end of it.
"Oh yeah, and what's that?" Lily inquired. The entire session had been very embarrassing, and she just wanted to go back to her dormitory.
James stepped in closer to her, and Lily's breath hitched. He leaned down the foot's difference in height, putting his mouth next to her ear. "You don't want to learn," he whispered, his warm breath sending shivers down her spine. He pulled away and started toward the pitch.
"Accurate," Lily called out, not turning to look at him, keeping her red face from view.
There would only ever be two more flying lessons for Lily's class, and by the end of them, she still hadn't so much as hovered in the air.
Ooooo
As the days grew warmer and the school year started to draw to a close, Lily observed many of the annual springtime changes at Hogwarts: students were frequently seen skipping class to sit by the lake, one could no longer study in the library, as it was occupied by the fifth and seventh years, and every conversation revolved around exams. One change that was new, however, was political. Lily had been an avid reader of the Daily Prophet since starting at Hogwarts, and because of this, she had known that there were wizards who were against muggleborns like herself. In the past few months, though, things had taken a significant drop. The newspaper now contained stories of muggleborns killed in hate crimes and anti-muggleborn protests at the Ministry, and the effect could already been seen at Hogwarts. Lily was on the receiving end of several jibes from Syltherins in all of her classes; they stung, but she refused to give them any notice.
Everything changed for Lily when she was coming back from Professor Slughornn's office. Try as she might, she was unable to have her essay ready to submit for class that day, and had promised that she would have it ready before curfew. She had kept her word, but looking at her watch, she noted that she only had seven minutes to make it back to the Gryffindor tower – a nearly impossible feat. In her haste, Lily had ignored the tell tale signs of trouble and, when rounding the corner, walked head first into a group of four fourth year Slytherins.
"Oh, look what we have here," one of them sneered at her. "A little mudblood who thinks she can go walking around in our turf whenever she wants."
Lily let out a nervous laugh. "I think if you check the time, you'll see that for the next six minutes or so, I'm allowed to be anywhere in the castle. So if you wouldn't mind moving, I'll just be on my way…" She was dismayed to see that, if anything, the four inched closer to her, forcing her to back into a wall.
"I think we need to knock her down a peg, don't you?" Another asked creepily. He was so close now, Lily could smell his foul breath.
"Definitely," the first one agreed. "Would you like the honours, Snape?" he asked, gesturing at the one with long, greasy black hair.
"Sectumsempra!" Lily heard an instant before a sharp, piercing pain ran down her upper arm. She immediately brought her left hand up to it, and was eerily shocked to find it come back bright red and sticky.
"Oh, look, she's surprised. Dirtier than you thought, mudblood?" The one they called Snape uttered sectumsempra again, and she felt another stabbing pain, running parallel to the first.
Just when the group was laughing about what to do with her blood, a new voice rang out from across the hall. "Now Snivellous, I know it's really fun to stab twelve year old girls and all, but surely you'd prefer to pick on someone your own size?"
As brightly coloured lights erupted from either end, Lily started to feel very woozy, and slid down to the floor. Her eyes had just started to droop shut when she was called back to consciousness. "Hey Pigeon," the voice cooed, as she blinked groggily. "'Low James," she greeted with a big smile. She felt arms go around her, and was soon aware of the fact that she was off the ground. She must have made a sound of curiosity, because he went ahead and answered he unasked question: "Oh, I just thought I'd move you before you needed saving again and I'd have to fight off another gang of Slytherins." He gave her a wink, and she decided to lay her head down against his chest and close her eyes.
Ooooo
Lily awoke with a jolt and quickly came to the realization that she was in the hospital wing. A few moments later, Madame Pomfrey was at her bed, preparing a potion. "What happened?" she asked groggily.
"Mr. Potter brought you in overnight. You'd lost a lot of blood. Drink this," she instructed, handing her a red concoction. "It'll help replenish."
"How did I lose the blood?" Lily questioned, to which Madame Pomfrey gave a stern nod toward the potion. Lily started drinking it, noting that it tasted metallic, but not too unpleasant.
"I don't know, dear," she told her sadly. "It was dark magic, but I hadn't seen this spell before." Lily finished the potion, wiped her mouth, and put it down on the bedside table, while Madame Pomfrey continued. "Once I managed to stop the blood flow, I put some dittany on your arm, but I'm afraid there will still be a small scar." Lily checked, and she did, indeed, find two white lines running up her arm that burned to the touch.
After assuring Madame Pomfrey that she was perfectly fine, she was finally allowed to leave the hospital wing. She had missed her morning classes, but was only about five minutes late for lunch. As she walked through the doors into the Great Hall, she could feel several pairs of eyes on her, and tried to make her way to the Gryffindor table as inconspicuously as possible. James Potter, however, had other plans. "Pigeon, you're alive!" he called out as she neared where he and the other Marauders were sitting.
"So it would seem," she replied nervously, with a few less decibels of volume.
"Glad you're still with us," he told her, with a charming smile. Lily was feeling quite warm and pink from the attention.
"Thank you," she said sincerely, making direct eye contact. She would never be able to repay the debt she now owed him.
"Don't mention it," he said good-naturedly, with a dashing wink. Lily nodded awkwardly and continued down the table to sit with the other second year girls.
Ooooo
As Lily Evans made her way toward the platform in Hogsmeade, she thought back on her year. She thought of her triumphs (mostly academic) and her failures (mostly academic). She thought of the many times she embarrassed herself, as well as the few times she managed not to embarrass herself as much as she normally would. She determined, at long last, that her year was rather unremarkable.
When she reached the train, she saw that most of the students had already boarded. She hurried along and planted one foot safely on the first step, bending over to hoist her suitcase up. In the process, however, she miscalculated and started to trade places with her luggage. Before she could even truly recognize her impending collision, a pair of strong hands steadied her. As she righted herself, she looked up into the same pair of hazel eyes that had invaded her every thought since that fateful October morning. "Whoa there Evens!" he called out, picking up her bags effortlessly. He offered her a hand, which she took, and helped her onto the train. "Better watch yourself. Hate not to see you around next year." He gave her another one of his trademark winks, and left toward his compartment.
Lily squeaked out a "Thank you," but James was already considerably far away and gave no signs of having heard it. Once he was safely out of sight, she leaned against the wall and let out a large sigh. She was simultaneously torn between wishing she'd never met him and wanting to be in his arms forever. Embracing both sentiments, she lightly touched her right hand, missing James's larger, warmer one.
Alright, maybe the year wasn't completely unremarkable, she thought with a slight smile. She allowed herself to daydream of James for another precious moment, before setting out to find a compartment.