Glitter Glue? Who knew?

"CONFIDENTIAL"

Over a year has passed since Miss Evans received her Hogwarts acceptance letter. Unfortunately she really couldn't have picked a worse time to attend my fine school. About a year before she started there was rumor of a…clan, if you will, and it shames me to say that the pureblood prejudice amongst wizards was at its highest…so far.

-Albus Dumbledore

"Hurry up slow pokes." A dark skinned girl with short curly black hair called to her friends.

"I'm…trying…your…going…to…fast." panted a girl with long dirty blonde hair.

"Yeah Tammi slow down were dying back here." Yawned the third and final girl whose dark auburn hair was in a thick plait down her back.

"But Lily." Tammi said drawing out the word "We have to hurry. I can't be late for my first quidditch match."

The girls groaned but complied. Lily was looking forward to the match, not only to cheer on her friend and their team but also because quidditch was quite interesting once you got the hang of it. It was just the waking up early part she disliked.

She and Ana Maria showed their school spirit by pining rosettes to their robes just like the rest of their house did, it was tradition of sort. But these girls being the crafty individuals they were had painted warrior stripes of red and gold across their cheeks with some muggle glitter glue.

"Nice school spirit Evans." A boy named Tray Hart called to Lily. Lily smiled and said something cheeky back to him, or at least that's what Ana Maria figured she did. She wasn't really listening; Lily was always getting the attention of some boy, and it was always the same: smile and cheek. That's all it took. Now don't take this wrong, Ana Maria wasn't jealous of all the attention Lily got. And she could hardly blame the boys for Lily was attractive; with her thick poker straight dark red hair and her pale slender body, not to mention her startlingly green almond shaped eyes. On top of all that she was vivacious and fun to be around. No Ana Maria was not jealous just a bit exasperated.

"Come on Lily lets go."

"Kay be right there. Bye Tray."

"Bye Lils." Lils?

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"HA! We beat the tar out of those Slytherins with their own brooms." Tammi said dancing her way up to the castle after the game. "We were awesome.190 to zip! Can you believe it?"

"Yah I know Tam, I saw the game, and you and Potter have told me about twelve times." Lily said irritated.

'Give her a break she excited.' Ana Maria admonished.

"Yeah I guess." Lily said watching Tammi and smiling in spite of herself. "Yeah." She was excited that the Gryffindors had won, but good god did Potter get on her nerves. Sure he was hot but still that can only go so far. He and his posse: 'The Marauders' were enough to make the pope swear.

"Ugh I hate these steps." Ana Maria grumped when the stairs moved them to a new landing for the third time.

"Join the club." Lily said looking around for the shortest route to the common room. "Ahhhhhh....this way."

"What's that noise?" Ana Maria asked.

"Probably the party that I would be at by now if someone hadn't needed a zillion bathroom breaks." Tammi shot back at Ana Maria who looked sheepish.

"Guys. Later." Lily said feeling a headache coming on. "Hey what are you doing, you're not supposed to be up here." Lily was not of course addressing her friends, rather the small group of boys lurking about the portrait of the fat lady. They were clad in emerald green. Slytherins.

"What's it to ya shawty?" A scary and rather deformed looking one asked.

"Nothing." Lily said defiantly her chin lifting in an almost arrogant manner. "But I'm sure that when McGonagall comes up here to quite us she'll be interested."

"That's nice; too bad we's not asacred of McGonagally though," never the less the moved towards the stairs.

"Pussy's." Lily muttered under her breath, though perhaps a bit too loudly.

"Betta watch your tongue mudblood or I might just have ta rip it out." He leered shouldering her as he walked past. He and his groupies laughed the whole way down the hall.

"Lily…"Tammi started, but Lily pushed past her fighting off the tears that stung her eyelids and threatened to spill over.

"Password?" The fat lady asked.

"Gurdyroot." Lily whispered hoarsely. The portrait swung open to reveal that there was indeed a party. Pushing through the masses of people Lily made her way to the girl's dorm. Reaching the door she ran up the stairs and didn't stop until she reached the seventh and final door. Flinging it open she was glad to see that it was empty. Sliding down the wall she reached for a nearby pillow and hugged it to herself biting her lower lip, which was quivering. Her vigil didn't last long.

"Lily please open up we know you're in there."Ana Maria said through the door. "Come on babe…ill get Potter."

Giggling in spite of herself Lily stood up and opened the door. Turning immediately she sank onto her bed, sober once again.

Walking over to her Ana Maria said "Oh Lilykins I know it hurts but-"

"-no you don't." Lily said coolly. "You have no idea what it feels like to be taunted and discriminated against because of something you have absolutely no control over."

"You're right we don't, but we do have some pretty wicked imaginations and you're our sister in magic so if you're sad so are we." Tammi said pulling a face. Lily rolled her eyes and threw her pillow at Tammi.

"I don't even know why I let it get to me." Lily said pensively "I mean they're not worth my time, but something snapped."

"Like your pride?" Ana Maria asked wisely.

"Yeah…maybe."Lily said, thinking back on it and immediately she felt the tears rise again. This time they fell.

"This is so stupid." She said swiping at them but the flow continued.

"No really its not, and not to be the bearer of bad news but it will probably happen again, but next time I'll beat the shit out of them. Witches' promise." Tammi said raising her right hand and putting the other on her heart, Ana Maria emulated her immediately.

"Thanks you guys." Lily said tears still pouring down her cheeks. "Oh damn these things are so itchy." She said reaching up and painfully removing her warrior stripes. When she had done so both Tammi and Ana Maria started laughing, though it was clear they were trying not to.

"What?" Lily asked completely nonplussed.

"Y-You you're." Tammi tried but couldn't get it out over her giggles.

"What!?!?!" Lily looked at Ana Maria who just giggled and shook her head. Then she reached for something sitting on the bedside table; a mirror. Lily peered at her reflection and then she began to giggle too. Beneath the tear streaks on her cheeks were two red rectangles where Lily's glitter glue had resided. Eventually their laughter subsided and Tammi said slyly: "Hey Ana Maria was it just me or did Potter's eyes seemed glued to Lily?" And that's how the master of all pillow fights began.

Like most friends these girls were all different but underneath all that, in the very depths of their hearts they were made of the same stuff, the same stuff that briar rabbit had , the same stuff that the mouse had when faced with a lion, the same stuff all the heroes in all the stories are made of. The same stuff that made them Gryffindors: bravery daring, chivalry, guts, and a pure fierce desire to do what they believed was right. That was their glue.

A/N Hey did you ever wonder what the fat lady's name was? I mean she just doesn't have one, her friend Violet has one, and so did Sir Cadogan. And you see her so much more than any of the other portraits. But nooo it's just "the fat lady". What if she went on a major diet and lost a zillion pounds. Would they still call her the fat lady or would they change it to the skinny lady? Just a thought. R/R.