AN: ¡Hola, mis amigos! I would like to thank jilaregold and SB- Potterhead Budgie Lover for leaving reviews for me. Reviews are the best and I appreciate all of them. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I hope that it begins to shape the loveable characters in a way you might not expect or is exactly how you predict them to be.
Sorry for the long upload, I ended up reading OotP, HBP, DH and a book by a different author than JK. I had my graduate show, job applications and life to sort out. AND I've been trying to figure out who would be in Jily's year at Hogwarts and any other students they are likely to talk to. If anybody knows of any possibles then could you please put the names down in a review. Cheers.
Disclaimer: JK Rowling is the Queen, I'm her slave
Chapter 2 - "I gotta get back to Hogwarts" - Star Kid
(Man, it's September, so I'm skipping this town)
'Dark Lord Asks for Muggle Borns to be Registered'
by Rita Skeeter.
Lily had already read the small, front page article tens times this morning and it left a horrible sensation in the pit of her stomach every time. At present, she was sitting in a train carriage but her mind was recalling the mornings proceedings. Just as she was about to leave for King's Cross Station, her Dad had picked up the Daily Prophet by accident and started to ask questions about the front page news. "Who is this Dark Lord?" She snatched it out of his hands, stuffed it into her bag and pushed her family, including Petunia, out the door before he could continue to read it.
"Whats the hurry, Freak?"
"If I miss the train then I'm stuck here with you." Lily hissed, giving her sister a harder shove in the back. Petunia glared back but got the message; the freak could not be late. "Dad, is everything packed?"
"Yes." He yawned, shutting the boot. Quickly, she got in the car and pulled out the newspaper.
'Dark Lord Asks for Muggleborns to be Registered'
by Rita Skeeter.
Following all of August's Death Eater demands and incidents, the Dark Lord has called for a Muggleborn Registration. He has ordered for all Muggleborn information, such as their names, date of birth and home address; to be publicly accessible to the wizarding community.
The message was issued this morning by an Imperiused Ministry worker. Muggleborn Eve Baker, 24, was reported missing three weeks ago. Believed by her family to have been kidnapped due to blood status and her memory of Muggleborns during her time at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Miss Baker resurfaced late last night only to write the Dark Lord's demand on the side of a building in central London. The message was written, using magic, in front of two wizard witnesses and several muggles. Ministry wizards have sealed off the area and are obligating all muggle witnesses.
After delivering the message, Miss Baker took her own life, probably under the influence of the Imperius Curse. Miss Baker has become the twenty-second, known victim of You-Know-Who in the past month. Her family and Ministry workers urge Muggleborns not to proceed with the Dark Lords request and to be careful.
The Minister, Harold Minchum, responded, in short. "The Ministry will not succumb to such requests. Nor will it fall."
Before she could delve into worst case scenarios, her Dad asked her the same question. "Who is this Dark Lord?"
"He's just some guy." She shrugged, crumbling the newspaper back into her bag. Her hand quietly wrapped around her wand, subconsciously aware of what Lily had planned. "It's nothing to worry about."
"What's a Muggl-"
"Erh, Dad we don't need to listen to Her world issues. There's more important issues like where are we going shopping in London for my wedding dress" Petunia interrupted.
For once, she was thankful for her sister's hatred.
The drive down was silent for the rest of the journey. No one spoke for hours, probably because Petunia and Mrs Evans had fallen asleep. Mr Evans kept glancing in his rear view mirror at Lily. She knew he wasn't going to let it go, he was going to ask her about it when Petunia wasn't in ear shot, and she knew she'd never tell him. Lily got her stubbornness from him.
Lily glanced out at the towering buildings that enveloped the outskirts of London and remembered a chilling line from the article. '…Muggleborn information, such as their names, date of birth and home address…'. This line filled her with the most dread. Voldemort wanted to know where her family lived and there's only one reason for him to want to know that. To kill them. The grip around her wand tightened as she became fully aware of what she had to do. She wanted to cry but this was for her families safety.
Slowly, she pulled out her wand and rested it at the side of her. They weren't far from King's Cross now.
"Dad, just park over here," Lily spoke, a little chocked. "It's going to be too busy to park at the station."
"Don't be silly, Lily. It's 7am in the morning." Her mother smiled. "We are seeing you to the platform."
"But-"
"No, Lily." Mr Evans said, agitated. "You have made us leave at five o'clock this morning. No one is going to be there. We are not leaving you alone on a platform."
She huffed. "No one even knows it exists, I'll be safe."
Her father glared at her in the mirror. "Afraid we'll embarrass you?"
"No, I don't need you being overprotective." Lily shouted. Her father pulled over towards the station and parked up. "If you want to say bye, say it now because I'm leaving."
With all the speed she could muster, she exited the car and began to collect her things from the boot. Her parents were both quick on her tail making Lily even more flustered on what to do. A luggage trolley was procured before she could drag it away in a huff. Why couldn't they see that she's only trying to help them? Oh Merlin, it's probably too late. The Death Eaters have probably already seen them.
She let her parents drag Petunia out of the car to say goodbye. "Ta-ra a bit, Freak." Was all she said, before sulking on the car door, impatiently waiting to be let back in. It made Lily smile in a somewhat nostalgic way.
Sheepishly, she glanced at her parents who were not happy but were reluctantly letting their daughter go. "You will write me a letter tonight, and if Inch doesn't deliver it by tomorrow morning, I will…I…" Her mother began before realising she wouldn't know where to find her daughter. At last Mrs Evans smiled, "I hope you have a good year, Lily."
It was her Dad's turn to say something but he just nodded at her. He was of little words but a man of huge gesture. Lily grinned and nodded back before giving her parents a long overdue hug farewell. She didn't want to let go of this hug, she didn't want to let go. But she knew she had to for them. Once more, her hand wrapped around her wand, but this time she pulled it out of her leather satchel. "I just want you to know that I love you," Lily said, raising the wand higher knowing exactly what to do.
The spell was on the tip of her tongue but she got interrupted by the worst person imaginable. "Evans?"
As quick as a flash, she stowed her wand back in her bag and jumped out of her parents grip to glare at him. "Potter, this does not concern you."
"Is this why you didn't want us to be at the platform?" Her mother asked, walking over to James. "It's nice to me-"
"No, no, no, no, no!" Lily proclaimed, dragging her mother backwards. "James is…" She couldn't think of the word to sum him up. Yes she had said they were friends less than a month ago but that was in a bickering match, and now with Potter looking at her expectingly, the word friend didn't want to come out. "James is just some guy in my form."
He wanted to retort but as he looked behind Lily at her parents, he grinned. A grin she knew too well. "I thought you'd told your parents about me? No." He gasps theatrically before walking quickly past a dumbstruck Lily to her parents. He held out his hand to them with a charismatic smile "Hello, I'm James Potter."
"Don't you play that broom sport?" Mr Evans asked, too quickly for Lily's liking. Her father had asked her about it the first time they went to Diagon Alley, in first year, when he saw the Quality Quidditch Supplies shop. She had only mentioned once that James had played it in a letter, why did her father have to remember that part specifically?
"Yes, I'm our house captain." He said proudly. "I assume Lily has told you about me then."
"Yes, she has mentioned you before" Mrs Evans smiled sweetly, greeting Potter with a welcoming handshake. Her father shook his hand as well with a pleased expression that annoyed Lily.
James turned around with a grin from ear to ear. "She has, has she?"
"Only bad things." Lily glared, crossing her arms.
"Don't lie, Lily. She seems very fon-"
"Okay, Mom." She said cutting in and grabbed James by the sleeve to his luggage cart. She pushed him towards where hers was waiting. "We'll… I mean, I will see you later. I'll write the letter on the train ride. Bye."
Lily didn't give her parents a chance to say farewell a second time. She just pushed her trolley forward and didn't look back. Well, she tried to but as soon as she crossed the road, and the looming archway entrance approached, she looked backwards at her happy parents. They stood outside the car waving cheerfully at her. She waved back just as enthusiastically. It was too late to do what she had thought.
Lily watched her family drive away before turning on James and thumping him in the arm. "You know why."
"You're welcome." He said, pushing his trolley unconsciously towards platform 9.
"What?" Lily laughed, "I didn't thank you for anything."
"You will later."
(Back to witches and wizards, and magical beasts)
James had stopped her from wiping her families memory of her and maybe, just maybe, she did need to thank him. The newspaper had scared her. It made her feel like she needed to save her family from something they didn't even know about. But maybe, just maybe, the were safe being naive about her world. The Ministry would not allow Voldemort to get his demands, Dumbledore would not allow it for sure.
Her confused mind wasn't going to cleared for a long time. It didn't help that she was constantly looking at that article, which Remus noticed and pointed out in a whisper. (The other three Marauders had arrived fifteen minutes after James and Lily had sat down in their usual years carriage.) "You're going to make yourself mad, Lily. Just put it down."
There wasn't an easy place to put it. Her luggage had been placed into the correct carriage and her leather satchel was up above. Nor could she move. James had decided to nap with his face resting on her lap, a position he had managed to wear down her resistance of, through many years of persistence. His annoying, impromptu slumber was the reason why they were speaking in hushed voices. "Erm…" she muttered flummoxed, waving the newspaper around like a mad woman.
"For fucks sake, Evans." Sirius exasperated, quietly, and took the newspaper out of her hands with a raised eyebrow. "Why don't you just wake him up by hitting him with the newspaper?"
"Erm…" Lily repeated, because there wasn't an answer to that. Why hadn't I hit him?
"Is seventh year Lily going to be this illiterate?" Sirius laughed, taking his sit, across from her, and placing his feet on her knees. The extra weight on her legs caused James to stir a little bit before his quiet snores began again. "Ha, I think I'm going to like how this year is going to plan out."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Wormtail asked. Remus and Sirius both looked at him, with an are-you-an-idiot expression, before looking at Lily again. Wormtail followed and opened his mouth nodding as if he understood what they meant.
Lily shook her head. "You guys are ridiculous."
"Ridiculously handsome." Sirius smirked, "You've got to be a Marauder to get it."
"I'd rather not know." she replied, knowing full well how they worked and thought.
As it drew nearer to departure, the platform outside got busier as new and returning witches and wizards arrived for a new year at Hogwarts. Inside their carriage, however, Lily had lost focus of the conversation and looked melancholy out of the window. At some point, she had started to stroke James' hair, absentmindedly. It was soft and less knotty as one would think. The Marauders nor Marlene, who had arrived around ten and lifted James' feet up for her to sit in that sit, made a snide comment. It wasn't until Mary came in did Lily stop and noticed.
"Well, doesn't this look cosy." She smirked, as she slid the door open with such force that door crashed loudly in its slot caused James, and other students carriages away, to wake up with a jolt.
"What time is it?" James said rubbing his eyes before fixing his glasses.
"Ten thirty four," Remus replied looking at his watch.
The time must have been relevant because all the Marauders jumped out of their seats and raced out of the room, towards the front of the carriage. Sirius was the last to leave, as he had been seated by the window, and smiled sweetly at Lily before planted a kiss on her cheek. "See you later, Evans."
"Urgh." She muttered, wiping her hand on her cheek in disgust.
"Care to explain yourself, Miss Evans?" Mary giggled, sitting in the once occupied seat of Sirius Black.
Lily shrugged.
"Don't just shrug. Marlene, help me here."
Marlene shrugged too.
"You two are the worst. You two need to get your emotions in check before you hurt yourselves or someone else."
"It's already been five minutes and we've had a lecture on expressing our feelings. I think that's a new record, don't you think Lils?"
"If we were all as open as Mary is, I think we'd-"
"OKAY, okay." Mary interrupted looking cross. "Stop making me seem like some sort of overly emotional slut who can't keep her legs crossed."
"That should be the title of your autobiography." Marlene tittered.
Mary looked out the window dejectedly and huffed, "Where's Emmy when you need her?"
Emmeline showed up two minutes after entering the room the same way Mary did, which was very out of character for her. "Are you dating Potter?" She asked sitting down, opposite Marlene.
"What?!" Lily exclaimed. "No, I certainly am not."
"Why the hell are you letting him sleep on your lap and brushing his hair like he's some freakin' precious cute thing."
"Nice work, Em." Marlene coughed.
"I don't know," Lily shrugged again. "It just kinda happened. How do you even know about it? Who told you we were dating? Was it Potter?"
"Gilderoy was gossiping about it. Said he saw you kissing Sirius Black, too."
"Hey, Sirius kissed her on the cheek." Mary scoffed. She'd always had a thing for Black.
"Why would anyone believe Lockhart?" Marlene questioned, "Everyone knows he spreads rumours."
"That's beside the point," Vance said, "Do you like James Potter?"
"We're friends now."
"Stop shrugging, Evans." Mary glared, "Do you have feelings for James?"
"No."
"Will you tell me - I mean, us - will you tell us when you do?"
"No."
Mary screamed, "Why not?!"
"Because that will never ever happen."
(It's been so long, but we're going back)
The train departed precisely at eleven. Lily had hoped that her friends, particularly Mary, would let it go. The subject hadn't been dropped until she couldn't take it anymore and strode out of the compartment. Lily didn't have to explain herself to MacDonald. James and herself were on mutual agreements now. No one questions Sirius' motives. What Mary saw, and Lockhart, was an accident. It will never happen again. Never.
Lily had calmed down by the time she'd walked onto the next train carriage. Her train carriage, E, was quiet because no one could be bothered to go that far up the train to find space. D, on the other hand, was full of laughter and movement inside and outside compartments.
"Better watch out, the Head Girl is on her way." Digory Kirke shouted, in a gleeful, laughable spirit. He was the Beater on the Gryffindor Quidditch team and was in his sixth year at Hogwarts. He had many mannerisms of Sirius Black - cocky, a joker and a womaniser, yet what set them apart was Kirke's lack of brain. One would say he had been hit by a Bludger too many times. Physically, Kirke was smaller and stockier - perfect for a Beater - with short, blonde hair perfectly parted to the side. "Do you know who the Head Boy is?"
Lily looked at him quizzically, "He hasn't told you?"
Kirke shook his head. If James hadn't told his team, he hadn't told anyone but the main group.
"I think I'll leave it up to him to tell you." She smiled,a tad evilly. "It'll surprise you."
"Ah, come on now Evans."
She kept smiling at him as she said farewell and moved on down the aisle. It was hard going as everyone was greeting her with pleasantries and small talk. It was a little odd.
C was full of Slytherins, the only compartment the houses didn't mix, stayed within their rooms but when she got to B is was the same as coach D. "Head Girl." Abigail Dearborn, a fifth year and chaser on the Gryffindor team, screamed giving Lily a hug. Dearborn was an overly enthusiastic girl. "Did you have a good summer Lily? This year is going to be so good. Quidditch is going to be awesome. You and James are Head Boy and G-"
"You know Potter's Head Boy?"
Abbie looked shocked, like a deer caught in a head light. She began to squirm and rushed down the corridor mumbling something about messing up the plan. If Kirke didn't know but Dearborn did was there something Lily was missing? Or what if all the Quidditch team did know and Kirke had lied? Lily started to ponder on this questions as she continued on her journey to the Prefects carriage.
Again, it was hard to move because of people. The number of people outside seemed to be more than those in the compartments, like they were purposefully outside. Conveniently outside.
Twice for a busy corridor to happen could have been a simple coincidence but as soon as she stepped into carriage A, Lily knew this had to be planned. She didn't have time for Richard King, another one of Potter's team, to greet her. She just barged past everyone, focused on the door at the end. Lily could of sworn she heard someone whisper, "abort, abort."
The Prefect's Carriage was different to the other train cars. It was more like a dining car. The room was open and full of light decorated in opulent reds and purples. A small aisle ran down the middle where the Head Boy and Girl would do a little speech for encouragement. It started to make Lily panic thinking about it as she had thought about winging it, but maybe with this year, it should have been planned to have a prolific meaning of camaraderie.
The Head Boy wasn't currently there, which surprised her due to the escapade of getting herself here, but it wasn't empty. Keen fifth years, except Slytherins, had seated themselves together and looked like they were introducing themselves. Lily went over to introduce herself too as she only knew the two Gryffindor prefects, Amelia Mason and Balgair Peakes.
It wasn't soon after niceties were done the other prefects started to arrive, along with one straggler. "Sirius. Get. Out."
"Arh, come on." Sirius pouted, looking at her with puppy dog eyes. "It's his big day."
Remus looked sheepishly at her as if he'd been a co-conspirator. "It's only one extra person."
Lily huffed, "It's a good thing I like you, Black."
He gave her a cheeky wink before walking off with Lupin towards where the sixth year Gryffindor prefects, Fenella Abercrombie and Sanjay Patil, sat. Fenella sorted out her posture the second she saw Black walk towards her. "I see why you come here." He uttered to Moony, just loud enough for Fenella to hear.
It had just gone twelve when the Slytherins had arrived. Lily had been courteous towards them, which hadn't been given back. "Okay, then," she muttered and turned back around to sit with the only two people who'd know where Potter's current whereabouts.
"You know Prongs." were the only words they said. She did know Potter and thats what made her even more worried.
Time ticked on. The prefects started to glance at her to see what was going on - to their knowledge the Head Boy was already in the carriage.
Lily was about to give up and begin without him, but the lights suddenly all went out. Everyone reached for their wands yet noticed that they had all gone missing. Panic started to sift through the air as a witch or wizard without a wand is useless against someone who has one. Before mass hysteria could take place, a firework entered the room, which in turned caused more and more to follow. It illuminated people's shocked, confused, surprised faces from time to time, in a beautiful series of colours.
The lights suddenly came back on showing the mass smoke filling the carriage and in the middle was James Potter, looking extremely cocky. The prefects couldn't quite believe it. They all looked at Lily for confirmation, who nodded accordingly. With the exception of Slytherin, who looked appalled by the new Head Boy, everyone was up on their feet cheering and celebrating.
Lily didn't join in. She waited for everyone to finish hooha-ing over Potter. He smiled at her as he walked over. "Before you get yourself in a twist, I did warn you I was going to make an entrance."
She looked at him perplexed. Then it clicked. "Where's your interpretive dance?"
"I don't want to seem too arrogant." He winked and wrapped his arm around Lily's shoulder.
She nudged him away, probably a little bit too forcefully but she didn't care. "Git."
"How the fuck is Potter Head Boy?" The seventh year Slytherin prefect, Helena Carrow, asked aggressively.
"He wasn't even a prefect!" Maxwell Burke, a sixth year Slytherin, interjected.
"Hey, if Dumbledore says so, that should be a good enough reason." Douglas Macmillan, a Hufflepuff seventh year, said glaring at the Slytherins.
"Thanks, Mac, but I think I can fight my own battles." James said sincerely towards Macmillan. He then faced the Slytherin booths and said, "Deal with it!"
(This year we'll take everybody by storm)
"How did it go?" Emmeline Vance asked as soon as Lily stepped into their compartment.
"I'm going to kill him." She said, seething. Immediately after he uttered those three words, there was uproar. The Slytherins began to shout back oaths of vulgarities which caused the other prefects to argue for James' case. Lupin and herself had to hold Sirius back at one point. The news that Potter had become Head Boy would have already passed through the school like wild fire. "It's like he has to cause a fight with a Slytherin every fucking time he's in a room with one."
"I thought I handled it pretty well." James commented, leaning against the door frame.
"No, you just watched it all unfold like a mad lunatic. You're Head Boy, for Merlin's sake."
"They already had an issue when they knew Snape hadn't got the position." Lupin said, as he pushed past James and sat down next to Lily.
"Urgh, why do you have to support him, Remus?" She asked rhetorically.
"Can someone tell me - I mean us - tell us what happened?" Mary begged.
Sirius took to the stage sprouting a load of bullshit on how James had battled monsters and was reborn as a phoenix. It lightened the mood slightly as Lily herself couldn't help but laugh at Black's overly ridiculous rendition.
The laughter continued for the rest of the journey as people started to wonder in and out of the compartment. Many of the gang had left to find others, which left herself, Potter, Black and McKinnon. Lily had started to write her mother a letter but it failed. What could she write that wasn't full of lies or of meaning? Maybe she was focusing too much on the negatives to realise that a letter didn't have to be full of purpose. Her parents just wanted to know that she was safe and at school. All Lily needed to know was that her parent's were still alive.
"You can tell your parents I can come for Christmas?" James smirked, sitting next to her. Marlene glanced up from her book and looked knowingly at Lily, who, in return, tried not to notice.
"Can I come too?" Sirius asked, who had sat opposite her, again.
"Why are you coming?" James questioned.
"Because I'd be spending Christmas with your parents."
"My parents prefer you over me anyway."
"Hang on," Lily cut in, "Neither of you are going anywhere near my house and I don't go back for Christmas."
"Since when?" Potter said, looking at her.
"Since fifth year."
"Why not go back this time and take me? I think your parents need to be graced with my presence."
"Ha, just because my father asked you about sport you think you're gonna get along?"
"You're mother liked me too."
"She likes and talks to everyone, it's in her character."
"She did say that you've spoken about me before." James commented, mischievously. "Have you told her how much of a God I am?"
"No, I've told her how much of a massive wazzock you are." Lily snickered.
Sirius spoke, "What have you said about me?"
Lily had told her mother, in letters, all about her friends. Of course, she'd written that Sirius and James were basically the same annoying, disruptive class clowns but, for some reason, she wanted to lie. It would only be a little white lie to stick it to James. "Oh, I've told them so many glorious things and that I'm so much in love love with you."
Marlene giggled, "If either of you believe that bunch of bullshit, then you are the biggest idiots ever."
The letter seemed to write itself after Lily's mood uplifted. She just had to write like she would normally to show the parent's that nothing had changed. That nothing was bothering her.
Lily was going to venture to the luggage carriage, to go visit Inch and make him send the letter to her parents, when two figures in the doorway stopped her. "Lily!" Cressida Fleming screamed as she opened the door and gave Lily a squeeze. Cressida was the fifth girl in the Gryffindor seventh year dormitory. She is loud, brash and overly expressive, which overpowered Lily and her friends sometimes causing them to be friends than close friends. The guys of Hogwarts didn't seem to mind of her touchy feely personality nor did they mind her curvaceous form and her perfect waved brunette hair.
Fleming let go of Lily, but as soon as she did, Harriet Green hugged Lily. Harriet was Fleming's best friend and the final girl to the seventh year dorm. The two are very much the same in personality and looks but Green was a tad quieter and more petite in stature. "I'm gonna miss you from our dorm," she whispered in Lily's ear. "You're the one that stops everyone from fighting."
That statement was somewhat true. Most of the girls in their dorm could handle Cressida but Mary MacDonald could not stand her. They were the only two girls that would bicker and argue about the most minuscule things. They both understood that they shouldn't make their friends pick sides on who is right or wrong, Lily was very thankful for that.
"Are you two together, now?" Fleming asked as she sat down next to James and looked at Lily.
"Yes." James said, cheekily.
"No." Lily replied, at the same time, determinedly. "Who told you that?"
Cressida smiled, annoyingly sweetly. "Its the inevitable, doll face. But seeing as your not together, can I borrow James for a few?"
"Please take him away." Lily smiled back, with the same amount of fake sweetness as Cressida was expressing. "Now, if you'll excuse me."
Lily didn't return to the compartment until the sun had set. She had watched her owl fly off with the letter but couldn't bring herself to see Fleming and Green flirt with the two Marauders. She couldn't put her finger on why she now felt a monster inside herself because, in previous years, she couldn't have given a tiny rats ass whether they flirted. Lily had always hated how Fleming treated guys, so maybe that was why she now felt these things at the pit of her stomach.
Familiar hills made her go back to the carriage, as she knew, Hogwarts couldn't be too far away. Thankfully the original settlers in the carriage had all arrived with the addition of Kingsley Shacklebolt. "Congratulations," he said, patting Lily on the shoulder.
She didn't have time to chat with him as Emmeline had already dragged her away, out of the compartment where people were readying themselves to exit the train, looking flustered. "There's already been an argument with Mary and Cress. Merlin, it was ridiculous."
"Em, can we talk about this on the way into school. I need to get ready."
Vance had not heard what Lily said or had chosen to ignore it as she followed Lily back into the compartment. It was very busy as everyone was trying to sort themselves out before the platform arrived. "It was all about Black." Emmeline whispered.
"Black?" Evans mouthed, fully aware that he was sitting right behind her looking smug.
"It seems Cressida has turned to fancying Black."
The monster in Lily subsided as she muttered, "I thought she still had a thing for Potter?"
Her whispering companion smirked a knowing look, "Obviously not. Are you now interested?"
Lily didn't speak to Vance for the remaining ten minutes of the train journey.
The sky had been fully emerged by darkness, and the torches of Hogsmeade station had been lit prior to the train pulling up, making the stars invisible to the eye; now, nearly all of the train's passengers were disembarked. The dim crescent moonlight just barely illuminated the lengthy path to the Thestral-drawn carriages, for the upperclassman. Herself, Marlene, Mary and Emmeline grabbed the first coach they could see. Sirius stepped in but Lily pushed him out and closed the door. "Only girls allowed." She smiled, leaning through the window.
He didn't have time to reply back as the carriage jolted to life. He blow her a kiss as he entered the coach, behind theirs, with his fellow Marauders and a few of the Quidditch team. "Are you alright, Mary?" She asked as she turned back around to see her friend, who she hadn't seen in the very crowded train compartment, look very disheveled.
"I just feel stupid because there's nothing to be upset about." Mary mumbled. "I'm not nor have I ever dated him so I have no leg to stand on. Merlin, I argued in front of Sirius about it like a possessive fan girl."
"Well, you are aren't you." Marlene said, flatly. The three other girls glared at her. "Hey, I didn't say that was a bad thing. You had a go at Lily and me this morning about not having feelings; now, I'm telling you to not push your feelings down and finally tell Sirius what you want."
The others just looked at her dumbstruck. Marlene had never shown this side of herself to anyone. "Wow, McKinnon." Lily smiled, "Look at you growing up."
"No, I'm just sick and tired of the same shit every year." She scowled, going back to her old, usual self. "If it's not you Mary, it's … someone else."
"Who?" Vance questioned.
"Er, we don't care about the other person." Mary cried, "I'm still having a melt down. Do you really think I should say something?"
"What have you got to lose?" Vance smiled, taking Mary's hand. "To be fair, I think Sirius has always known you had a soft spot for him."
"Yeah, he has." Marlene commented, "So if it doesn't go to plan, your friendship won't change."
"Geez, thanks for the optimism." Mary scoffed, "What do you think Lily?"
Lily didn't really know what to think. She didn't want to lead her friend into false hopes nor did she want her friend to miss out on an opportunity that could work. With everything going on in the world, perhaps now is the time to act, to do things that are out of character. "Are you a Gryffindor?" was all she said for Mary to understand. (It was a phrase the group used when asked about bravery.)
The carriage stopped at the base of the castle, which now loomed over them in a familiar, warm embrace. Every witch or wizard that walked through the doors of Hogwarts knew it to be there home. It was where learning, love and life happened. Lily smiled to herself as she exited the coach at seeing her second home. The first years hadn't arrived yet, they were visibly still bobbing along the lake coming to the embankment to depart, and her fellow returning pupils were making their way to the Entrance Hall awaiting the Sorting ceremony.
Mary, as she exited the coach and saw that the Marauders were leaving theirs, said determinedly, "I'm gonna do it! I'm gonna do it!"
"We'll see you at the table." Lily smiled reassuringly.
Lily, Emmeline and Marlene walked away towards the Entrance Hall. "What did MacDonald want?" Potter asked as he joined them over by one of the statues that lined the walls, quickly joined by the rest of the Marauders and Kingsley.
"I'm sure Black will fill you in later." Marlene responded with a slightly bitter tone.
The massive oak doors enchantingly opened to the Great Hall. Students started to pile into and sit at their allocated tables. The ceiling had been transformed to match the beautiful, melancholy night sky outside with a candle forming the various star constellations that could be seen. The Hall soon started to fill up with echoes as everyone waited excitedly for the ceremony to begin so they could took into the glorious food Hogwarts offered.
Lily sat down next to Remus, who in turn, asked why Mary wanted to talk to Black.
"Were you there when the argument happened?"
"Yes." He whispered, keeping his head low as James sat opposite them. "I just got back from finding Kingsley and Wormtail. It was quiet loud."
"How did Black react?"
Remus looked at Lily with a careful expression. They were always very honest about things but she could tell when he was contemplating what to tell her when the other three Marauders were involved. "He just sat there like he'd been stupefy-ed."
She was about to retort when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Mary. Lily knew that it hadn't gone well. Mary's looked like she had cried but she stood there looking relieved and, somewhat, happier. Sirius sat opposite her, next to James, and smiled sweetly. He leaned across to whisper in Mary's ear and said something that made her giggle, which made Lily's anger subside.
Mary squirmed her way under Lily's arm and gave her friend a squeeze. "Everything's good, there's no need to hex him."
"There's still time for that." Lily grumbled, making Mary laugh.
After all the returning students had been seated, the teachers began to take their seats at the top table, which were then followed in by the new first years attending school. The Sorting ceremony went very quickly and smoothly, with very little said by the Sorting Hat. Perhaps Dumbledore was saving all the of the speech for the end of the night. The empty tables soon became filled with glorious food and every started to ravenously help themselves to all the food available, as if they hadn't eaten in a months.
Lily had double helpings of cottage pie, and was starting to munch on the treacle tart slice she had saved, before she opened her mouth to talk. "What did you say to Sirius?" Lily queried. Sirius was in a loud debate with Potter about something so she knew she didn't have to speak in hushed voices.
"Lets not talk about it, Lils. It's all good. I'll go back to the Ravenclaw from the summer." Mary said, as she gobbled her fork full of roast chicken. "I think I was just lashing out because of what the Daily Prophet had written about this morning, and in my head I was just saying to myself, 'there might not be a lot of time left so why not just jump straight in?' You know?"
She looked at her friend confounded, "I didn't know you-"
"I didn't want to trouble you with it because we are both in the situation."
Lily smiled a little, "Yes, it's not the best situation."
Mary and herself were both muggleborns yet Mary, in their sixth year, had been a target for a few Slytherins to practice one of the Unforgivable Curse's on. Lily could see in her friends sky blue eyes pools of worry at the thought of her family being found because she had previously been a victim of a now Death Eater. She wanted to comfort her friends with promises of everything being alright, but that was against Lily's nature to be dishonest. "All I can promise is that we, as a group, will get through this together. No matter what."
"Making toasts, Evans?" James said, obviously having eavesdropped on the last sentence. "Shouldn't you leave that to Dumbledore?"
She glared at him, "It's a promise to a friend."
He reached for his glass and lifted it, "To what Lily Evans said."
Everyone in the group cheered and the clinking of glasses made other people along the table participated. Even a few first years joined in. "Already rallying in the troops?" Lily smirked.
"It's what happens when everyone loves the Head Boy. You need to be one with the people, Evans."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
James didn't get chance to explain because Dumbledore had made his way to the front and was addressing the room. "To our new students, welcome; to our old, welcome back! Another year full of magical education awaits you. I will start of with saying that Mr Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to say that there is a new and improved list of banned items, which are nailed on his door. And for those who wish to play for their house Quidditch team, please give your name to your Head of House.
Now onto a more unpleasant, but necessary, topic. Lord Voldemort and his followers are increasing in numbers and strength."
The silence seemed to attune and strain as Dumbledore spoke. Lily glanced at Snape. He was not looking at the Professor, but making his fork hover in midair with his wand, as though he found the Headmaster's words unworthy of his attention.
"I cannot emphasise strongly enough how dangerous the present situation is, and how much care each of us at Hogwarts must take to ensure that we remain safe. Within the school, I am ordering anyone from the fourth year upwards to be taking part in Apparition and more advanced spell casting lessons, such as the Patronus - which will be evaluated. These pupils, who learn these new skills, will be allocated a pupil from the first, second and third years to protect and keep safe.
The castle has been strengthened by protection spells new and old to keep you all safe. We must abide to any security restrictions that have been placed by your teachers, however tedious you might find them - in particular, the curfew. I request that if you notice anything strange or suspicious within or outside the castle, to report it to a member of staff immediately. I trust you to conduct yourselves, always, with the upmost regard for your own and each other safety.
For those who are, who have been or who are most likely to be effected by the doings of Lord Voldemort, you will be given a note by your Head of House tomorrow morning, with your timetables, to meet with me to discuss certain issues."
Dumbledore's blue eyes swept over the students before he smiled once more. "Thats enough doom and gloom for one night. Your beds await you so let us say goodnight."
A chorus of "First years come with me" echoed through the hall as fifth year prefects escorted the new pupils to their new homes. Following that, the deafening screech of benches being pushed backed erupted as everyone else made their way out and towards their common rooms.
"Do you think we'll get a note?" Mary asked, as they made their way out of the hall and up the stairs.
"I guess so," Lily sighed.
"Urgh, can you believe we've got to watch out for a little snot nosed brat all year?!" Marlene growled, who was now on Lily's other side. "Before you start, I know its for the good for everyone in the school but … what am I going to say to a child?"
"You can teach them spells so they can take care of themselves." Emmeline muttered, "I'm gonna teach mine the Patronus Charm."
"Do you know how to cast one?" Marlene scoffed.
"No, but-"
"I wonder what mine's going to turn into?" Mary asked, wishfully.
"They're meant to match your personality." Lily said, as they walked up the stairs to the Gryffindor tower.
"Does that mean McKinnon's is going to be a Flobberworm?" Mary giggled, quietly to herself.
As they walked higher and higher, there seemed to be a commotion as the majority of the Gryffindor house were standing in the stairway. Lily pushed her way through to see the two fifth years having an argument with the Fat Lady. "Hey, whats going on here?" she asked the three of them.
"She won't let us in and we are saying the right password." Amelia Mason said agitated.
"Codswallop!" Balgair Peakes shouted the password which made the Fat Lady cross her arms with defiance.
"Butterbeer." James Potter said as he reached them. The Fat Lady smiled and opened the concealed door. "The password had to be changed after we discussed it on the train. Peakes, if you see any of our prefects, tell them the password is being changed fortnightly. Mason, tell everyone the new password when they walk in. Thank you."
Lily stood there astonished at the authority James had easily expressed, even though it shouldn't have as she had seen how he conducted the Quidditch team. "Hey, why didn't you tell me you'd changed it?" She inquired as the two of them walked through the portal into the familiar common room. It was a cosy, round room that was full of squashy, red armchairs and sofas. Herself and James were heading towards the ones nearest the fire.
Potter shrugged as he turned to sit down in an armchair. "Don't think anything of it, Evans. I changed it when we got off the train and then forgot about not telling anyone."
"What was wrong with the one we came up with together?"
"I didn't trust that we were alone when we agreed." He whispered very seriously to Lily. Quickly, it went away and a smile went across his face. "Glad to be back, ay, Mooney."
"Of course." Remus yawned and sat down next to Lily on the sofa.
"I think its time for a game." Sirius smiled, holding a bottle of Firewhiskey in his hands.
"There are still underclassman about." Lily said, pointing at the bewildered students that were clearly first years.
"Hey," James shouted, scaring the newbies, "Boys dorms on the left, girls on the right. Scram!" All of the first years ran up the stairs to their allocated rooms. He turned around to face the group with a huge smile. "I think that's sorted it out."
Lily sighed and gave into the peer pressure and took part in the game. It ended up being a muggle drinking game they'd wrangled out of Peter called 'Never have I ever…', which Lily was familiar with. A fair few secrets had been found out and laughed at. A 'Never have I ever fancied anyone in this group' had been said by someone and everyone drank, which caused everyone to try and guess who Lily had or still was interested in.
The evening continued in joyful and tipsy spirits until the clock on the wall bonged twelve. The group went their separate ways as they climbed up the dormitory stairs. Lily said her goodnights to her close friends but Mary lingered on. "I don't think I can go in and face Fleming tonight. Can I stay with you?"
"Only for one night, MacDonald." Lily nodded her head and draped her arm over her friends shoulder, for she too couldn't face being alone thinking of that newspaper article.
A/N. Thank you guys for reading this . I apologise about the ending ending abruptly. There was going to be a whole page or two on the drinking game but I thought, I've got to end it at some point. I quite like the ending with her and Mary heading up together, Muggle-borns together.
PS. I apologise for any spelling issues on here. I prefer to read fanfics on a mobile and I was proof reading this and found some mistakes that I have now edited. If you see any I'm sorry and I hope it won't effect your view of this fanfic.
