~Thank you to all the kind people who reviewed my first chapter. You are the only reason I'm posting this second chapter so quickly. I hope everyone will like it and I'll get some more positive feed back. But I want honest answers, and any spelling mistakes pointed out if you find them.
Here's the disclaimer, which I forgot for my first chapter but of course still applies: I own nothing here except the people you don't recognise and any ideas you don't recognise. Credit goes to J.K. Rowling and Meg Carot (Carbot?).
READ AND REVIEW!
Emily Paige~
Eight hours later and the students were trudging back into the hall, many of them completely soaked – unfortunately Lily was one of those few. Thinking them selves hilariously funny, the Marauders had dumped a bucket of soapy water over Lily's head.
"Wretched boys," Sybony muttered as they sat down. "Think they're sooo great just because of a little popularity! How can little sweet children turn into horrors like the Marauders? It's unbelievable! Weren't we all innocent at one point in our life time - "
"Not the Marauders. They've always been this rotten," Lily interrupted scowling. She flicked her wand a few times and her clothes and hair became dry. As the last few students trickled in Professor Dumbledore stood and addressed them.
"I commend your cleaning skills," he said and clapped lightly for them. "I don't believe I've ever seen the Great Hall shine quite so much." In response he received a series of boos and groans. Dumbledore chuckled, "Well… Now you have exactly," he paused to look at his pocket watch. "Exactly two and a half hours, 53 seconds and 13 milliseconds to eat lunch and scrub up. But first, I word from Professor McGonagall!" He sat and McGonagall stood and surveyed the room,
"Uniform requirements." She announced. "All Girls must have their skirts below the knees, full length stockings – I don't want any of those knee high things! Shoes must be black and polished, I want to see your reflection in them! Vests must be done up and ties neatly done – all short sleeved shirts. No jumpers for tonight but every student must wear their blazer. Boys are required to have navy socks pulled right up. I don't want any pushed down! Top button of your shirts must be done up, and no loose ties! No accessorizing, if I catch one piece of jewellery or coloured hair ties I will immediately deduct 20 house points. Neat hair! Girls must have it tied back for tonight, so that it is off the collar."
"Jeez," Lily muttered. "They sure are wanting to impress…"
"WELL it is royalty, Li-lee!" Sybony wagged a finger in Lily's face. "How many times must I stress the importance of Queen Clarice's visit!" She sighed in frustration at her friend and then muttered, "You're hopeless Lily. Absolutely hopeless!"
"Hey!" Lily scowled. "I get the point already."
"But do you Lily, do you really?" Sybony raised a brow at her.
"You're nutters." Lily shook her head with a smile and Sybony giggled. Suddenly food appeared in front of them signalling that McGonagall had finished speaking. Sybony began loading up her plate with food and eat at an alarming rate. Lily looked on enviously. How could Sybony eat that much and still stay so thin?
"Finished." Sybony said and pushed her plate back.
Lily blinked.
"Come on Li-lee!" Sybony whined. "Eat already, we only have two hours and a bit to get ready. SHOVEL SHOVEL SHOVEL!" Sybony yelled.
"You're encouraging her to eat?" James Potter asked incredulously as he by passed them on his way out of the hall. Lily narrowed her eyes at him and pushed her plate away.
"Finished?" Sybony asked looking elated and grabbed Lily, dragging her out of the hall. They sprinted down the hall with Sybony tugging incessantly on Lily's hand. The portrait slammed shut behind them as they breezed through the common room and into their dorm. "Shot gun first shower!" Sybony announced and disappeared into the bathroom. Seconds later and Lily heard the shower start. She flopped onto her bed with a sigh, slightly puffed from race up to the dorm.
"Oh, hi Lily."
Lily looked up to see Angie Broome enter the dorm. She had long jet black hair and almond shaped eyes of a shade of brown. She was slim and gorgeous and also known as the bitch of Gryffindor. But that didn't matter to guys, as she was also known as the slut of Gryffindor.
"Hi Angie." Lily said and flopped back onto her bed.
"Is Sybony in the shower?" Angie asked sweetly, clearly intent on getting in next.
"Yeah, and I'm next," Lily said quickly. Angie frowned,
"Oh. Alright then." She huffed and sat down on her bed to read some magazines, intent on ignoring Lily. Almost a whole hour later Sybony emerged with a towel wrapped around her.
"Took long enough!" Lily said as she moved towards the bathroom.
"Well I have to look just PURR-FECT for ROYALTY!" She announced primly as if Lily had forgotten the reason why they were bothering to get cleaned up. Lily snorted.
"It's just an old lady Syb – now if it were Merlin himself, maybe I'd make a bit more effort…"
"You know Sybony is right Lily," Angie announced putting down her magazine and smirking at her. "You do need to make an effort for royalty but then again, it's not as if you ever make an effort do you Lily?" Angie gave her a once over and returned to her magazine.
"Bitch!" Sybony gasped. "That's not what I meant at all! You know that, right Lily?"
"Yeah sure Sybony," Lily replied with a soft smile and then added. "Anyway when have I ever taken what Angie's said seriously? She's just a bimbo." Lily smirked at Angie who looked slightly offended and entered the bathroom. Just after Lily closed the door behind her, Tabitha entered the room along with another girl called Meg. Meg was tall and athletic looking; she had blonde almost brown hair and blue eyes.
"Hey Angie, Sybony!" Tabitha greeted with a grin. "Lily in there?" She asked indicating the bathroom.
"Yeah, she shouldn't be long though." Sybony replied as she searched through her draws for some clean underwear.
"Actually, I think she's had long enough already!" Angie announced, sliding off the bed.
"She's been in there five minutes Angie. Don't be a cow." Sybony said angrily her hands on her hips. Angie ignored her and began banging on the bathroom door.
"Li-LEE Li-LEE!"
"What?!" Lily snapped and wrenched open the door making Angie tumble onto the floor. Lily snorted, trying to hold back her giggles unsuccessfully.
"Finally!" Angie said, trying to look un-embarrassed. "Helloooo, I need a shower too!"
"Oh shut up Angie," Meg snapped. "And use the bathroom already." Lily stepped to the side and let the black haired girl stalk past.
"Jeez, does Angie have a stick permanently stuck up her bum or what?" Tabitha asked giggling.
"No, I think something crawled up there and died," Lily replied easily with a smirk.
"But why would it want to?" Sybony asked and snorted. They all fell about laughing and trying to regain their breath.
"Sorry if I flashed anyone just then," Lily gasped between giggles. She pulled her towel around her tighter and began rummaging through her underwear draw.
"Didn't see a thing," Sybony answered. She finished putting on her uniform and charmed her hair dry, and then began braiding it.
"Why is Angie always such a bitch anyway?" Tabitha asked curiously.
"Beats me." Meg said with a shrug.
"I think it's because she was spoilt growing up, always got her way." Lily said matter-of-factly as she dropped her towel, having successfully put on her underwear.
"No, that's not it." Tabitha said thoughtfully. "I mean it's part of it, but I think she's jealous of us."
"Jealous?" Lily exclaimed incredulously. "But she's got it all-"
" – Except real friends." Tabitha finished.
"Oh."
"Yeah Oh."
"So you're saying she's jealous that we've all got close friends and she's never had that?" Meg asked.
"Yep." Tabitha nodded. "She doesn't get on well with girls, and she only gets on well with guys because she gives them what they want."
"You know, I think Tab's right," Sybony said, turning away from the mirror to face them all. "And I reckon we should talk to her. Even though she can be a bitch, there's probably I really nice girl underneath it all."
Lily frowned, "You know I don't like her much. She's always one to tease me about being fat and un-liked by boys but I think we should talk to her." Lily paused and looked at Tabitha. "Don't be offended here Tabs, but before you stood up for me today, however unsuccessful it was, I always thought you were a ditz, but you're not. You're a really good friend and maybe Angie could be too, if we just looked a little deeper."
"Aww, is everyone feeling as warm and fuzzy inside as I am?" Tabitha asked with a wide smile, holding a hand over her heart.
"You know what," Meg announced. "I think that we should all get to know each other better. I mean we only have, what two years left here and we've never been that close even though we share the same dorm. We've always been divided, like me and Meg, you two and then Angie."
"Tis a sad and ugly truth," Sybony sniffed, wiping a fake tear. "And we're all getting on so well," she wailed now and pretended to sob. Lily grinned and rubbed Sybony's back.
"There, there Syb darling. You might smudge you're makeup and that won't be a good look for royalty." She said smoothly. Sybony pulled her melodrama act together quickly and grinned at everyone,
"GROUP HUG!" They all smacked together in the middle of the room, with lots of 'aww' and a few 'ouch!'.
"OH MY GAWD! What is wrong with you people!"
They all broke apart to see Angie come out of the bathroom with a wrinkled nose. She tried to stalk past them but Sybony grabbed her, "Come here Angie Pangie!" They all squeezed her in a hug and ignored her shrieks of,
"Help! I'm being molested!"
~Moments later in the same dorm~
"How do I look?" Sybony asked and twirled around.
"Um…nicely uniformed?" Lily said biting her lip and sniggering.
"That wasn't quite the word I was going for…demure might have been better."
"Demure?" Meg asked, raising a brow as she tied her dark blonde hair up in a high ponytail, her fringe falling to just above her eyes.
"How can you possibly look demure in the school uniform?" Tabitha asked incredulously.
"I think it's a nice uniform…just not on me." Lily said. She stood in front of the mirror and looked at herself with a frown. She inhaled slowly and –
"Don't even think about sighing Lily Evans! You look GREAT!" Sybony bellowed, startling Lily and making her lose the breath she had been holding.
"GREAT?" Lily asked, unconvinced. "I can't even tame this brown mop!"
"You know, your eyebrows are a bit light to be a real brunette." Angie said softly and hesitantly. Slightly bewildered in the change of atmosphere in the dorm. "Have you died your hair, cause I'm sure you should be a blonde or red head."
"Yeah your eyebrows are light…" Meg agreed.
"I know, strange huh? But I've always been a brunette." Lily replied dully.
"I'll do your hair Lily," Meg suggested and came over and stood behind her. "My mum's a hairdresser at a magic salon, so there ain't a charm that I don't know that can't fix your hair for you!" She whipped out her wand and muttered a few charms under her breath. First Lily's hair fell straight and then it sprang up into a high ponytail. Meg tied a gold hair ribbon in Lily's hair and then platted her ponytail and secured it with a hair elastic.
"Wow, five seconds!" Tabitha clapped her hands. "Me next!" She shoved Lily away from the mirror and took her seat. Meg quickly did her magic, and soon Tabitha's blonde hair was done in two messy buns on either side of her head. Meg bowed to her audience and caught Angie's eye who was looking on wistfully.
"Come on Angie, I'll do yours too!" Angie looked surprised but moments later the sixth year Gryffindor girls were ready and marching into the Great Hall, barely in time. Each of them with neat looking hair and Gryffindor coloured ribbons to match their ties.
"Not too bad Evans, it seems that tangle of brown can actually become something 'okay' looking." James Potter smirked, winked and strolled over to sit opposite the girls with the other Marauders.
"I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult," Lily said dryly.
"Coming from James," Sybony paused. "I think that counts as an insult – a nice one though."
Lily rolled her eyes, "A nice insult?" She snorted.
"Yeah and don't expect too many fatty!" James snapped, obviously he had been listening in. The two girls on either side of him giggled.
"Like clones." Lily whispered.
"Sheep." Meg replied.
"Barbie dolls." Tabitha suggested.
"Galahs."
The girls immediately looked at an Angie in surprise and then burst out laughing.
"Good one Angie!" Meg crowed.
Lily who was next to Angie gave her a small side hug, making Angie's eyes go wide in surprise and then she was smiling too and small giggles were emerging from her mouth.
They all soon calmed down and feeling someone looking at her, Lily looked up still smiling. James Potter was staring at her openly and then suddenly looked away. Lily blinked, confused but was elbowed in the side by Sybony before she could think in more detail.
"Ouch! What was that for?" Lily exclaimed and narrowed her eyes at her best friend.
"Sssh! Look," Sybony hissed. The Great Hall was gradually becoming silent. The doors to the Great Hall were open and two men stood on either side of the door. They wore dark blue almost black, silver pinstriped suits and were casting sharp looks around the room as if challenging anyone to make a move.
Out of the silence came the steady echo of heel hitting floor. A distinct French accent could be herd chuckling outside the Great Hall and then suddenly she appeared in the doorway on the arm of Professor Dumbledore. Queen Clarice Francis of France defied her age. The elderly lady had unnatural blonde hair done up in a French twist on her head and blunt toe heels that made her tower over Professor Dumbledore. Her green eyes were outlined thickly in black eyeliner as if she had tattooed it on and she had an alarming shade of pink on her lips. Draped across her shoulders was an animal of sorts with soft red fur and a sharp nose. The animal appeared at first to be part of the red fur coat she wore that trailed behind her but on closer inspection Lily realised it was just a coincidence that the two matched.
"She's so…" Lily began.
"Gorgeous!" Sybony finished, her grey eyes sparkling with excitement. "She looks so young and can you believe it, she's 86 years old!"
"86?!" Angie asked incredulously and suddenly a scowl adorned her beautiful features. "What a poser! She's like my mum, acting like she's 20. Ugh." Lily screwed up her nose and nodded in agreement whilst Sybony protested,
"How can you say that! She's fabulous!"
"Just fab," Lily agreed sarcastically and her and Angie glanced at each other and rolled their eyes on cue.
Sybony pouted, "I think I preferred it when you two were enemies." Her eyes were still twinkling so they could tell she was only joking.
"Shh, you guys," Meg hissed from next to Sybony. "The Queen is coming this way." And indeed she was, she was being led up and down between the house tables by Dumbledore and inspecting every student it seemed. Suddenly halfway down the Gryffindor table she came to a halt by Molly Weasley.
"You think she's going to have a heart attack?" Tabitha asked with wide eyes. The Queen was frozen and it looked as if she was staring off into space, but the chilling feeling Lily was feeling down her spine told her otherwise and that the Queen was in fact looking in her direction. Suddenly she seemed to regain herself and Dumbledore directed her to her seat instead of finishing her walk through the tables.
"That was weird." Meg murmured.
"Do you think she stopped near Molly for a reason?" Angie asked.
"But she wasn't looking at Molly, was she?" Sybony asked.
"Yeah she was looking down this end of the table…" Lily said.
"Maybe I'm the Princess!" Angie announced snottily and the girls gave her strange looks. "Okay fine then." Angie sighed, "Maybe the queen was in shock, maybe Molly's the princess. Maybe she was only looking in this direction because…erm…well… she was facing this direction, wasn't she?"
"Yeah, so logically she had nowhere else to look unless she turned her head," Meg said nodding her head in agreement with Angie. They all fell silent in thought, just in time as Dumbledore stood and raised his goblet,
"Let us all drink to Our Highness, Queen Clarice Emelie Francis of France." The students complied and raised their glasses in a toast before draining them. The rest of the feast was quite uneventful – The Queen seemed to tire quite quickly and left to her chambers for an early night.
"Aww, poor Queen Clarice," Sybony wailed as they left the hall. "She's so lonely, I can tell. If only she could find her daughter – maybe I'm adopted? Lily what do you think? I look like Princess Chalize-Louise, right?" Sybony stared at Lily hopefully.
"Sybony darling," Lily said eloquently in a 'How Now Brown Cow' voice, "You haven't a hope in hell."
Sybony pouted, "poo."
"Good one Clearwater, you just described Evans here in one word!" James Potter sauntered past with a different girl under his arm. This time though, Lily didn't let his insult slide. She reached out and grabbed him by the back of his robes, making him stumble and fall on his bum. "What the hell- "
"You, James Potter, are the most foul thing I have ever laid eyes on," Lily said primly and stepped over him and his simpering girlfriend gracefully. "Come girls," Lily said beckoning to her friends. "We shall leave these commoners to make out with each other, that's all they're good for."
The four girls laughed at Lily's antics and walked by him. Sybony jabbed him in his side with her Mary Janes and marched off with an un-apologetic, "Oops! My foot slipped!" James wheezed, as the wind was knocked out of him and the faded laughter of the five girls echoed as they walked away.
"Oh James. You alright? Those bitches- " His girlfriend was all over him, but suddenly he wasn't in the mood.
"Gerr-off!"
END CHAPTER TWO