Summary: Lily was the daughter of a Lord. She had everything she had ever wanted. Except for her freedom. She runs away to a criminal's town where she is saved by James Potter. AU.
Lady Lily
Disclaimer. I do not own Harry Potter. Sadly all I own is fifty bucks and a pile of books. I do own the majority of the plot of Lady Lily though. Just not the characters that you recongnize.
"Miss," A maid said quietly. She leaned over and slightly shook the sleeping form. "Miss." She repeated, slightly louder. Lily Evans rolled over, taking the blankets with her. "Miss Evans." The maid said. Lily regretfully sat up in bed and walked over to the window. The sun was just rising. She stared out wistfully.
"Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be an adventurer Elena?" Lily questioned.
"No Miss." Elena responded quietly. She was picking clothes out a wardrobe for Lily to wear.
"Lily," Lily corrected her in a firm voice.
"As you wish Miss." Elena said meekly. She held up a dress and Lily motioned for her to put it back. Instead Lily picked out a long black dress. She held it up to model for Elena.
"I don't think that was quite what my Lord had in mind for this evenings gathering." Elena said. She held up the emerald dress again. This time Lily took it.
"Proper etiquette." Lily muttered. "I wish I was a commoner. Everything would be so much easier then." She took off her nightgown and turned around so the maid could tighten a corset. "I wouldn't have to wear this either." She raised her hands so that her dress could be slipped on. She walked over to her vanity mirror and began to run a brush through her silky auburn hair.
"Is that all Miss?" Elena asked.
"You may go." Lily said. She stared at her reflection as the maid walked out. Her emerald eyes gazed back at her. Lily never wanted this life. She had merely been born into it. A life of honor and money. Privileges and respect. A life of confinement. Everyone else would kill for it. Elena certainly. But for her it was like a tiger kept within a cage. She wasn't destined to spend her entire life curtsying and practicing proper etiquette. She was meant to be exploring. Finding new things. She set her brush down and sighed. She stood up and walked out the door.
"Miss Evans." A girl dressed in an aqua dress, curtsied to her. Lily racked her brain trying to think of her name.
"Miss Lestrange," Lily said, returning the curtsy. She walked on, looking for her friend in the crowds.
"Lily," A voice called to her. Lily looked to the source of it. Her mother and father were standing on a small platform, looking down up there. She walked over to join them. "Lily," Her father, Lord Evans, repeated. "Your mother and I think it is time for you to get married. Your sister has been married for three years already and she is quite happy."
'Oh yes,' Lily thought, 'Petunia was ecstatic to be married to Lord Dursley. She had an estate and people to command around. That was all she ever wanted.' Lily glanced at her mother, wondering what she thought of Lily's imminent marriage. Lady Evans was a slight figure. With raven black hair and porcelain skin, she looked like a doll and had the assertiveness of one too. She gave Lily a distressing look and nodded at what her father said. Lady Evans did not approve, but she would follow what ever her Lord said.
"Would you like to meet the Lord you are engaged to." Lord Evans said. It wasn't really a question. He grabbed Lily's hand and guided her to a man standing about five feet off. "Meet Lord Lucius Malfoy. Lord this is my daughter Lady Lily Evans."
"My lady." Lucius said, bowing. He grabbed her hand gently and pressed cold lips upon it.
"My Lord," Lily said, with a curtsy. "It is a pleasure to meet you." She looked Malfoy up and down. He was about 6' with long, blond, greasy hair. His outfit was entirely black and crisp. He smile was more a sneer then anything else. She knew that she would not marry him. "If you will excuse me?"
"Certainly my lady." Malfoy answered.
'I wasn't asking you.' Lily thought indignantly. She turned around and exited the room. Once she was out of sight she picked up the bottom of her dress and fled to her room. She sat down on her window seat and stared at the window. The sun had risen by now. She stared out at the commoners. The few she could see over the wall were doing various things. Some were drawing water from the well. Another was herding some sheep on a hill top. They all were under her family. Their taxes paid for her dress. Lily thought back to what had happened in the half hour that she had been awake. She wouldn't marry Lord Malfoy. Of that she was certain. He would force her to his will and she would become the perfect Lady in everyone else's eyes. Lily shook her head. She didn't want that anymore then she wanted the life she was living now. She decided what she was going to do.
Lily got up and walked over to a section of her floor next to her bed. Using her heel she stomped one a loose board and grabbed it when it came flying into the air. She set in down gently and stared at her private hoard. She had 1,000 pounds ($1,420), a pair of boots that she had stolen as a kid, and a dark cloak. She could make more money by selling whatever jewelry she could when she left. She had all she needed to survive as an adventurer. She would go discover new lands like she had always wanted. She would no longer be Lady Lily. She grabbed a bag and started to weep all her jewelry into it. On top of that she put her pounds. She closed the bags and took off her heels. She slid on her boots when she heard the door open.
Lily looked up startled. Walking through the door with her head down was Elena. Elena looked at Lily, sprawled on the floor, wearing boots. "Congratulations on your marriage Miss." She said.
"Thanks." Lily said sarcastically. She immediately regretted it. "I'm sorry. It's just that Lord Malfoy seems peculiar."
"If I may speak bluntly," Elena asked. Lily nodded her head, while standing up. "He is very rich. He will give you everything you want. While I am being blunt Miss. May I ask why you were sitting on the floor."
"Good question." Lily muttered. "I am not feeling well." She invented spur of the moment. "Please hold my heels and leave me alone to rest." She scooted sideways to cover the hole made by the missing floorboard.
"As you wish Miss," The maid said. She turned around, exiting the room. On her way out she put down the ribbons she had come to deliver.
Lily sighed as she left. She slipped the cloak on. Making sure that it hid her auburn hair. It was a feature no one else in the castle had, although it was all too common in the town. Many times she had heard people saying that her father was a commoner behind her back. She grabbed the bag and slung it over her shoulder. She opened a window and put one foot on it. She looked at her room one last time. She wasn't sorry to be leaving this place. She just hoped that she wouldn't be found. She put her other foot up and swung out the window. This was a path she had taken many times before. She was always running away to a less constricting place. She swung out the window, hitting the ground far below.
She ran to the stables and found her horse. She was a small bay. Lord Evans had offered to buy her a more expensive one but she liked Crimson. She looked like an animal that a commoner would own so Lily could ride unnoticed. A groom appeared at Lily's side. "Prepare my horse for a long ride." She ordered. The groom jumped to complete her order. Lily stood there for five minutes until she was ready. The groom helped her mount and Lily took off. She started on her usual trail, a lap around the manor, but as soon as she was out of sight she stopped and pulled up her cloak again so it hid her from recognition. She turned her horse and rode towards the bridge. She rode across the moat and started Crimson in a gallop. She rode out of the town and away from Lady Lily.
Lily rode for eleven hours. Stopping only to let the horse get drinks from various springs. Finally around five she found a town. It was only a quarter of the size her father resided over. It gave off a feeling of despair. Lily sighed and jumped off her horse. She walked through the town until she found a small store. She walked into it and was surprised by the darkness and dampness. She walked up to a guy who sitting on a chair. "I need to buy one outfit." She requested. She tried to make her voice sound more common.
"Sure honey." The guy drawled. He had to be at least forty and he had a noticeable beer belly. "How much you wanna spend?" He was staring at her and Lily instinctively drew her cloak tighter. She definitely wasn't Lady Lily anymore.
"I have-" Lily started She reached into her bag and her hand went straight through. She held it up and looked at the hole, feeling a weight drop in her stomach.
"You were robbed lady." He said. The way he pronounced lady it didn't sound like a title.
Lily almost cried. She had no money and no way to get more. "I'll trade you my outfit and this necklace for a new outfit and 70 pounds." She offered. The necklace was worth way more then that, and the dress but she didn't want to draw to much attention to her clothes.
"35 ponds. Final offer. And don't think of going anywhere else because that was the best deal you're going to get. Unless of course you throw in a little something extra." He winked suggestively.
"No way." Lily growled. "I'll take the 35. Is there a place where I can change?"
"No." The guy replied. Lily sighed and grabbed the outfit he held out. She walked to a corner of the room. She held her cloak up in front of her to hide her while she changed. She didn't really have a choice. She walked over to the guy and dropped the dress and the necklace. He gave her 35 pounds. "Nice doing business with you." He said.
"Yeah." Lily answered. She was hungry and broke. For the first time she might actually have to work. She turned around and strode out of the store. She looked around for Crimson. "Crimson, Crimson." She called. There wasn't an answer. She groaned, realizing her horse was gone. A day ago she had everything. A maid, money, and a future. Now all she could call her own was 35 pounds and a commoner's outfit. She didn't have any way to get home either. It was a stupid idea that just kept getting worse.
Lily sighed again and walked over to a wall. She sat down with her back against it and thought about her plans. She had only enough money for food until she could find a job, and the didn't seem likely. She had no way to go back and no idea what to do. Frankly she was screwed. "What's a pretty lady like you doing here all alone?" A guy sneered.
Lily looked up at the person who was talking to her. He was about 5'7'' with greasy black hair. He was surrounded by three other guys. "Where is the Lord of this town?" She demanded to know.
"We don't have one, baby. Not unless you are talking about the Dark Lord. He runs everything is this town. I'm Serveus Snape." He said.
"Lily Evans. Nice to meet you. Goodbye." She said. She stood up and prepared to walk in the opposite direction. This didn't seem like the right kind of guy to be around.
"Not so fast baby." The guy said grabbing my arm. "I wasn't done yet."
"But I was." Lily said, "Goodbye."
He didn't release her arm. "I had other plans for you." He pulled her closer to him. "What do you say we go back to my house."
"No!" Lily said trying to jerk away. He started pulling her with him.
"Let go of her." A new voice commanded. Lily looked towards the sound of her savior, hoping that he was actually decent.
Snape released her as one of the guys with him grabbed her. "And what are you going to do about it Potter?"
James didn't answer the question. He just punched Snape in the jaw. Snape fell to the ground. Two more guys showed up and dealt with the remaining three guys. The three of them turned to walk away. "Wait," Lily shouted.
James turned around. "What do you want?" He asked crossly.
"I wanted to say thanks. You saved me."
"Your welcome." James said. "Is that all?" He turned to walk away again.
"No." Lily called after him. He turned to face her again. "I have no where else to go. Can you help me?"
"No." Another boy with black hair answered. The three of them started walking away and Lily resorted to something she never thought she would do. Begging.
She ran around in front of them. "Please, you have to help me. Otherwise they'll just come back. I was robbed so I have none of my money left." She started crying, loudly.
"What do you say guys?" A boy with sandy hair asked. "Should we help her."
"Fine." The boy with black hair answered.
"James Potter."
"Sirius Black."
"Remus Lupin." The three introduced themselves.
"Come on." James said. "Let's go." He started walking off again, Lily following behind them.
A/N
So what do you think. Love it, like it, or hate it. Tell me in a review please. Chapters will get longer.
Random question that I heard; would you save one sibling or five strangers?
