The Tale of a Red Head
or
How To Make A Living Without Graduating
Once upon a time a little peasant girl travelled all the way to a big scary castle. She left behind her best friend and her mum and dad, and her only accomplice was a scared little boy, who thought he knew all about the higher life, but found that all the fairy tales he had been told were not enough - they were just that, fairytales. So they entered the scary castle and found they were looked down upon because they were the peasants and their new acquaintances were nobility, practical monarchy.
But the little girl, whose name was Lily (and she was every bit as beautiful the flower which had lent it's name to her), quickly made friends. She was intelligent, quick to adapt and bright, like a candle. The rest were moths that were drawn to her flame, her lights. But her friend, by the name of Severus was a cloud which dulled her light, and although she cared for him their differences of character made it immensely difficult for them to remain friends. Her disposition was sweet and light, and although she could be dark at times, be serious, she wasn't of a high social class, she had no magic in her blood, while Severus, though not coming from the purest of magic lineage, was still able to carry some sway amongst those to whom it matters most. The company he kept was unpleasant at the best of times, and delighted in not hiding in the shadows, but waiting in them to attack.
And so the classism she received throughout her years at the fine Institution managed to reach the darkest corners and also the lightest. So when she suddenly was one friend less, and despite have multiple perfectly good and rather extraordinary friends she missed her oldest. She missed her one connection to home.
But she was a peasant girl. And they don't always get their happy endings.
If there was one class in the entire world Lily hated it was Care of Magical Creatures. It wasn't that she didn't like animals (which she didn't actually). It wasn't the getting dirty (which she certainly did not like). But the outdoors part. She hated the outdoors. The unpredictability of the weather. The unexpected rain (which meant you had to bring an umbrella everywhere). The unexpected sunshine. The unexpected cold. She didn't like unpredictably of weather.
Nothing could prepare you for weather. Because no matter how many times the weather girl insists that there will be no rain tomorrow, and you didn't bring the umbrella, your new coat and your perfect hair will always end up ruined.
"I don't get why you don't come to Quidditch matches." Marina frowned.
"I come to the ones that count!" Lily protested vainly, attempting to fix her deep red hair, as it flew away in the wind.
"You come to the Gryffindor ones!" Marina groaned, pulling her ink stained robe sleeves up. "I can count them on one hand!"
"You cannot!" Lily protested, as the pair walked back to the castle, trekking through the thinly covered grounds of Hogwarts, her feet crunching in snow.
"Excluding pre-season, yes I can!" Marina poked her friend in the stomach, her blonde Northern Italian hair shining brilliantly.
"Pre-season is basically the same thing." Lily rolled her eyes.
"I can't believe you just said that!" Marina shrieked, causing the two sixth years to giggle loudly as Marina lightly hit Lily's shoulder.
The two were good friends, despite Marina being a Hufflepuff and Lily being a Gryffindor. And strangely enough, despite Hufflepuff not having one once in the five years they had previously attended the school Marina was still an avid obsession with Quidditch. And brooms. And Quidditch magazines. And bats. And quaffles, snitches and bludgers.
Meanwhile Lily, in Gryffindor House, which had been awarded the Quidditch Cup twice in the time that they had attended the school, had little to no interest in Quidditch. She had enjoyed flying (her eyes had lit up in wonder and she had let out streams of giggles) however the idea of flying around with giant hunks of metal being directed towards her didn't exactly sound appealing.
Despite their differences in personality (Lily was an introvert and Marina was an extrovert, etc) the two were steadfast friends and despite not sharing meals together, spent time together in the library, at Hogsmeade, during classes and at other times.
"So how was you're daaaaaaaaaaate?" Lily drew out, bumping shoulders with her friend, as her lightly tanned skin blushed.
"It was okay." Marina said casually.
"Oh really?" Lily's eyebrows raised. "That's why you came back smiling like the Yorkshire Stars just won Nationals."
"I did not!" Marina protested.
"Yes you did!" Lily smirked. "You were practically simpering!"
"It was amazing!" Marina sighed. "He's the best boyfriend I've had."
"Fifth times a charm." Lily grinned.
"Come on!" Marina rolled her eyes. "Boys are never as sweet as he is! He reads poetry! Poetry!"
"Well good for him." Lily smiled. "Maybe he can recite for a us a piece one day?"
In truth Marina's date was a Ravenclaw Quidditch player, whose only real intelligence came from his ability to easily impress a room and was able to quickly enchant any witch who walked his way. As such the two girls were easily charmed by him, and found him to be quite appropriate.
The two had made it to the castle by now and after walking to the Great Hall for lunch they said goodbye with a hug, before walking to their respective House tables. Lily sat down next to another of her friends, unravelling her long purple scarf and putting it into her books bag. "How was Herbology?" She asked her friend Cindy, who was currently eating a soup.
"Herbology was Herbology." Cindy shrugged.
"Uggh, why are you still doing it?" Lily screwed her nose up.
"Because I want to be a Mediwitch and that includes an extensive knowledge of plants." Cindy rolled her eyes.
"But plants are so boring!" Lily rolled her eyes, helping herself to the tomato pasta.
"Why are you lot talking about plants?" Mary asked, plunking herself opposite the two. Mary was a fellow Gryffindor sixth year and had shared their dorm since 1st year. The girls were all friendly enough, despite Lily and Cindy being closer, as Mary preferred to associate with a lot of the Hufflepuffs in their year, or the Gryffindor seventh years.
"Cindy was enough of a prat to take it this year." Lily rolled her eyes, pinching some pasta off Mary's plate causing her to gasp jokingly and swat her hand away.
"As I said I'm training to become a Mediwitch." Cindy peacefully continued to eat her meal. "Unlike you slags I'm worried about my future."
"Well I've already got my future all planned out." Lily smirked, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "I'm going to become a trophy wife!"
"Uggh, who would want you?" Cindy teased. "That red hair!" She tugged Lily's hair.
"A lot of people thank you very much!" Lily stuck out her tongue. "Famous movie stars, Quidditch professionals -"
"James Potter!" Mary shrieked poking Lily in the stomach as her two friends erupted in giggles.
"Are we having a gossip session?" Sirius Black dropped next to Mary, as she rolled her eyes. "About your fave Sirius and his nasty best friend."
"Shove off Black." Lily grinned, and poked him in the arm.
"Aww is ickle Lily embarrassed?" Sirius grinned as he grabbed a plate and started piling up food on it.
"I'm dying of mortification." She said sarcastically.
"Aww I'm sorry Lil." He rubbed her head.
"You prat." She rolled her eyes again.
"Lil, isn't that your owl?" Mary I asked, pointing out a smoky white owl which had flown in through the doors of the Great Hall, which was causing a number of students to point and stare.
"Yeah." Lily said confusedly. "Something must of happened. Ivy is a good owl. She waits."
The owl landed in front of her and Lily saw an envelope was attached to it. Distinctly Muggle. Carefully she tore the letter open as Mary busied herself politely by feeding Ivy.
Her eyes scanned the letter quickly as she found meaning in the hasty scrawl.
"Who's it from?" Sirius asked.
"My mum." Lily said slowly. "It's my sister."
"Oh Lil." Cindy wrapped her arm around Lily. "I'm so, so sorry."
"No. She's okay." Lily said confusedly. "She's getting married."
Hi! I hope you like this - but if not I'm sure I will be told in a review (wink, wink). much thanks to my lovely beta Kai (LovesLifeandLivsItUp).
I hope I hear what you think!
Much love Louisa xx