Fear

By: Ms. Perfect

"Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart." - Unknown

*****

"Pappy!" Lily yelled when she saw her father at the airport. She ran towards him and leapt into his arms and felt him spin her around.

"I'm so glad your back!" Her father said.

Lily's feet were put back on the ground and they walked towards the baggage claim. "How's the team this year?"

"Waitin' for you to whip 'em into shape. In fact, I thought we'd stop at the rink for a look." He replied.

Lily grinned. She may be seventeen in August, but she still was helpful to her fathers' high school summer hockey team. Since she could remember she had been in the box with her father, yelling at the players if they did something wrong.

Lily grabbed one of her bags as her father grabbed the other. They walked towards their car and drove towards the stadium where he coached.

"Did you get any new players?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, one boy is your age. He just came for the summer." Her father replied.

Lily looked interested. Chelsea had sparked her interest in guys that her friends in Hogwarts had been trying to since their third year. "Why only for the summer?"

"He goes to Hogwarts with you. Remus Lupin. His father wanted him to play, he said it would help Remus play Quidditch better." He replied.

This will be fun. Lily thought. She knew who Remus was. He was one of the boys who hung out with trickster James Potter. They had played many tricks on Lily's friends, and now she could get some payback on the hockey rink.

Lily jumped out of the car before it even came to a complete stop. Her father jumped out behind her after he turned it off and chased after her as she ran into the arena. She could hear the whistles of the assistant coach.

"I want the offense on the rink – now! Defense, take a seat!" Gary, assistant coach, yelled.

Lily smiled and shoved her curly red hair that had escaped from her ponytail behind her ear. Her green eyes were alight with glee. She only had a month to whip these boys into shape.

As she walked into the box, one of the defensive players looked over in her general direction.

"Lily?" he called as he took off his helmet.

Lily looked at the man. It was her best guy friend from childhood.

"Ricky!" She ran towards him and gave him a hug. They did their old childhood handshake and smiled. "Whew, you smell," she said playfully. "How's the knee?"

"Never better. I had an operation on it while you were gone. It's good as new." Ricky replied.

Lily looked over at the offensive men and smiled. Until, that is, she spotted something. "No! Erikson – stop being so slow! I thought you were faster than that!" she yelled to the goalie.

Lily's father laughed.

"She sure hasn't changed, Frank." Gary said to him.

"Nope." Frank said.

"Nice to see you back, too, Lil!" Erikson yelled back.

"Yeah! Just don't let that puck get past you!" Lily yelled back.

A teasing voice drifted from behind her saying: "shouldn't you be doing something more ... girl-like?"

Lily turned to see none other than Remus standing behind her. "Shouldn't you be doing something more magical?" she countered teasingly.

Frank Evans turned to look at Remus with a grin on his face. "Watch out, Lupin. She owns this team."

"You can say that again, coach!" Kyle called as he re-laced his skates.

Lily gave Remus a knowing look.

"No wonder you're always trying to give the Quidditch team some pointers." Remus said with a chuckle.

"If only that idiot, Potter, would listen to me," Lily huffed. "I'm not just some silly girl intent on getting him."

"Trust me, you make that clearer than you think," Remus replied.

Lily scowled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You act as if you hate him."

Lily shrugged and turned back to the practice. Still shouting out things for improvement. Like her father, she practically demanded perfection.

"No! You stupid ref – that was high-sticking!" Lily yelled at her TV.

Ricky and Remus exchanged looks. Had she seen something they didn't?

The three friends were at Lily's house watching the hockey game and the two men were very amused.

"If possible, I think she's more into the game than she was before she left." Ricky said.

"I heard that, Ricky." Lily said, but she had a smile on her face. "So what if I like hockey?"

"He never said there was anything wrong with that. Heck, we wouldn't be such a good team without you, Lil." Remus said in Ricky's defense.

"No shit," Lily said. Then she slapped her palm over her mouth. "Sorry."

Ricky waved it off. Sure he was a hockey player, but he wasn't too happy with swearing.

"What day is it anyway?" Lily asked. She tended to lose track of the days when she wasn't at Hogwarts.

"We've got three days until we have to catch the train." Remus replied.

Lily sighed. She couldn't wait to get back!

"Leaving me again, are you?" Ricky asked.

"Yeah. I can't wait to get back. The school I was in last year had a way more advanced class that I really liked."

"Do they have that class at your other school?" Ricky asked.

"Yup, but not as advanced. It's actually my best class." Lily felt bad that she couldn't tell her friend she was a witch.

Knowledge sprung up in Remus' eyes. She was talking about Charms class.

"I had better go. My Mum still thinks I'm a baby. If I don't see you before you go – have fun!" Ricky said as he walked out the door.

"You too!" Lily called.

"Advanced Charms?" Remus asked.

Lily nodded. "There was this great charm that allowed you to get into a persons dreams. Only catch is if something were to happen to the dreamer or the person invading; it would mirror onto their physical bodies. That makes it dangerous."

"You'll have to teach me that one." Remus said with a smile.

Lily's father gave Remus and Lily a ride to King's Cross Station three days later. Remus' father had sent his sons things over when Lily's father offered to take them both to the station.

"Bye Pappy," Lily said as she hugged him.

"Three months was too short. I think I should keep you here," he joked.

"You wouldn't!" Lily gasped knowing that her father was only joking.

"Already miss you," he replied.

"Right back at'cha," she said as she and Remus pushed their trolleys through the barrier.

"Guess we go our separate ways now, huh?" Remus said.

Lily nodded solemnly. She and Remus had become good friends; he was one of the three guys she could trust.

"See you at the Sorting," Lily said before they split up.

Lily quickly spotted her friends, Arabella and Jacqueline. They were in the meeting stop they had used since first year. "Got room for one more?" she asked.

"Lily!" her friends screamed before practically pouncing on her.

"I'm back!" she said with a smile. "Let's get our compartment before it's taken. I'll fill you in on Salem."

The girls went to put their trunks into the slots on the side of the Express and then climbed aboard to get their compartment.

When James Potter heard girls' scream he had turned his head to see why. He then realized that it was because a pretty red head had joined their group.

"D'you know who that girl is?" James asked his best friend and cohort, Sirius Black.

Sirius looked over there, then shrugged. "She doesn't look familiar to me. D'you, Moony?"

"What?" Moony, or Remus, asked.

"D'you know who that red-head over there is." Sirius answered.

"Yeah," then his expression turned to one of suspicion. "Why?"

James answered this time. "I've never seen her before. She's pretty, what d'you think, Padfoot?"

The boys put their chest into the holding compartments as Remus struggled to hold in his laughter.

"Now, what's so funny?" Sirius said after nodding in agreement with James.

"The girl –" Remus erupted in laughter. "The girl you think is pretty – James – that's Lily Evans!"

"What!" James and Sirius exclaimed. They looked at each other both thinking the same thing: They had thought that tomboyish little Lily Evans was pretty?

"Yeah, she came back from the States this summer. Her father was the coach of my hockey team. And obviously from your reactions, the year away was very kind to her." Remus said as they sat down in the usual compartment.

"So, what happened in the States?" Arabella asked.

Lily smiled mischievously. "Well, I gained a blood sister, Chelsea. Actually, she accomplished something you all have been trying to do since third year."

"What?" Jackie asked.

"Get me interested in guys." Lily said with a grin.

"Finally!" her friends said.

"Jeez, you sound like I never would have ever been interested in guys."

Jackie laughed, "well, it did take you until Seventh year."

"Correction: Sixth." Lily replied.

"Whatever. So what else happened? Details, details!" Arabella demanded.

Lily loved her friends, but sometimes hated their girl talk. "There isn't much to say. I didn't go out with anyone. Had a few crushes, but I didn't feel like they would work out so I didn't act on them. I actually had fun in Potions class – the Professor was really cool. I took an Advanced Charms class. That about sums it up."

"Advanced Charms? Cool!" Arabella said.

"So what's been going on here since I left?" Lily asked.

"Well, Bell's going out with Sirius." Jackie said.

"Jackie!" Bell said, her face turned red.

Lily looked shocked. "How long?"

"Since June..." Bell replied.

"Arabella," Lily started in a menacing voice. Then it changed to one of happiness. "Why on earth didn't you tell me!"

Bell looked flustered. "I – well – I thought you would be pissed!"

"I did reserve the right. But – you know what – I'm happy. At least he's been able to keep a girlfriend for more than a month." Lily said with a wink.

The rest of the ride there, the girls chatted, Lily often looking out the window remembering the things that had happened last year. She hadn't even noticed that they had arrived at the train station until her friends asked her if she was going to get off the train or not.

Lily smiled as she got into the familiar carriage. It was defiantly good to be back. Her smile widened as she saw the turrets of the castle.

"It's good to be back." She said in a wistful voice.

"Not to mention, good to have you back." Jackie added.

Lily looked at her friends. "It is, isn't it?"

The four seventeen year olds walked up the stairs and walked towards the Great Hall. Everything looked the same. They sat down at the Gryffindor table with the rest of the House and awaited the arrival of the First Years.

Lily glanced over to the Transfers table to see if there was anyone new. Looks familiar...

She turned her head when all the frightened looking first years entered the Great Hall. She smiled at them, though she knew it would grant them no comfort whatsoever.

"Can you believe that we were that small so long ago?" Jackie whispered as McGonagall, the stern Transfiguration and head of the Gryffindor House, called out the names of the first years.

"Jackie I still am that small." Lily replied with a giggle.

"You've grown a little." Bell said. The girls quickly stopped talking as Dumbledorr had stood up to give some announcements.

"I have some news to bring about before we Sort our new transfer." Dumbledorr said. "First off, I am sorry to say that Professor Tinstar has passed on –" he was cut off as all the students who had already suffered through Tinstar cheered.

Dumbledorr's mouth twitched. "Now, since he is no longer around, I have hired someone I'm sure you will all enjoy. And it is with great pleasure that I can announce that the new Potions teacher is Ms. Jennifer Shepherd."

Lily gasped and snapped her head towards the teachers' door where an all-to-familiar Potions teacher came out. Lily jabbed Bell and Jackie in the ribs. "That's the Potions teacher I was telling you about! – Wait – she has the same last name as Chelsea!"

"Now that she in introduced, it is once again my pleasure to introduce to you all Chelsea Shepherd. Now, Ms. Shepherd, if you would please take a seat so we can get you into your new House."

As Chelsea walked forward, Lily could barely keep from jumping up and hugging her friend. She was so happy to see her! She watched as her best friend sat down on the stool and had the old Sorting Hat placed on her flyaway hair.

After a few seconds of debating, the old Hat finally called out: "GRYFFINDOR!"

Lily clapped with the rest of the Gryffindors as Chelsea walked over calmly. But that didn't last long. Lily jumped up as soon as Chelsea neared her and practically tackled her.

"You didn't tell me that you were coming here!" she said.

Chelsea just grinned happily, "I didn't know I was going to come here until Professor Dumbledorr owled my Mum asking her to take over!"

The two girls laughed and then sat back down, everyone was staring at them.

Just like old times. Lily thought with a smile. "Arabella, Jackie, this is Chelsea. Chels, these are my friends I told you about."

"Hey, good job on getting her interested in guys finally!" Jackie said with a grin.

"No problem," Chelsea replied with a laugh.

"Let's hope this year is just like last year." Lily said as she spooned some mashed potatoes onto her plate.

"Well, not exactly like last year." Chelsea replied.

Remus was watching Lily's new friend. There was something strange about her. What it was, he couldn't place. But he just had a gut feeling.

"Moony? Moony!"

James' voice knocked him out of his thoughts and he turned to look at his friends.

"What?"

"So," Sirius started with a grin, "you got the hots for Chelsea already?"

Remus looked startled, "what? No! There's just something – odd about her." Then he shook his head as if the thought was insane. "I think I took to many hits to the head."

James and Sirius exchanged a look that clearly said: "yeah, right."

As Chelsea said that one little phrase, the other girls looked confused, but Lily knew exactly what she was talking about. And she felt the familiar surge of hatred flowing through her.

Then everything froze. Lily looked around, surprised that the "weird freezing thing," as she had dubbed it, had happened again.

"What is happening?" she whispered as everything unfroze.

She looked around as everyone continued what he or she had been doing, totally oblivious to the fact that they had just been frozen. But what Lily had failed to notice was that she wasn't the only one that hadn't been frozen.

Dumbledorr stood one last time to make his final announcement. "Prefects, I will entrust the safety of your fellow House members as you escort them up to the dorms." He said. "And, Ms. Evans, would you please come here for one moment."

Lily looked at Chelsea, Jackie and Bell. It was her first day back, how could she be in trouble already? Chelsea gave her a thumb up and mouthed that she would wait for her.

Lily nodded and then walked up to Professor Dumbledorr. "Yes, sir?"

"Ms. Evans. Do you realize that you just froze the entire Great Hall?" Dumbledorr said.

Blunt as always. Lily gulped. "Y—yes, sir."

"Do you know how you did it?" he asked calmly.

"I don't know. I was just thinking about something that made me angry and then – it froze." She paused, then continued. "Sir – sir, it's happened before. I don't know what it is."

"It's a very coveted – you do know what coveted means?" he continued after she nodded. "It's a very coveted power. With training you will be able to control it. Your power allows you to freeze things at will. Right now it is still premature and unpredictable, but later on it will be controllable."

"Cool," Lily said. "How will I get this training, Professor?"

"You are in luck, Professor Shepherd is an expert in coveted powers. Now I am informed that she was your Potions teacher in Salem, correct?"

Lily nodded.

"Well, then I see no reason that you cannot just have her help you control it. Off you go now." He said with that familiar twinkle in his eyes.

"Thank you, sir." Lily said as she ran across the Great Hall and burst out into the hallway. "Let's get to the Common room. I'll show you around tomorrow."

"'Kay," Chelsea replied as they proceeded to head towards the Gryffindor tower.

A coveted power – how? I'm just a plain Muggle-born. I have got to have some killer genes... Lily thought.

~~

Author's note: Yeah. Okay, just to clarify this right now: this doesn't center on their school life. In fact, Professors other than Jenni and Dumbledorr will be rarely mentioned. Though it may not seem like it, the school year is progressing. Please review.

Thanks reviewers:

FairySpirite

Erin Potter

Christine

Ice Princess987

Satans Little Princess: I like that name, hehe.

QueenOfTheQueer: You seem to have read my mind about Chelsea coming to Hogwarts.

Princess Evil

meg: What I meant was that it happened to me last year.

SAngel

Min Hee Ha: Yeah, I could have written more about Salem, but I just couldn't think of anything. I just wanted to get to that one point.

Milkyweed: You, too, read my mind about Chelsea coming to Hogwarts. ;)

cheler: Well, if you think about it. She's about 5'2" and he's, well, tall. Would you be able to overpower him? I know I couldn't.

Scarlett*eyes: Hey, one of my really good friends is going to be 16 soon and she's still 4'11 and a half. (She loves to add the 'and a half' part when she's says how tall she is.)

Bluejello: I'm glad I got your attention. That means I did good!

Fluta

JAMES'S INSANE LUVER

lily potter