Thankyou to my wonderful friend EmLou who really helps with the story, and to my other chums who don't mind being bitches in fanfictions.
I love you all alot.
I tell you there is one thing, and probably the only thing, I don't like about Hogwarts.
No there's two.
Potter and the early mornings.
Yes as much as I love lessons and I love magic, early mornings are something I really don't like.
And I'm not even going to start on why I don't like Potter.
What I was trying to get to was how I hate early mornings, but I think my opinions just changed on that because I forgot how bloody great the breakfasts are at this place.
And that is no exaggeration.
I am happy once more after all yesterday's drama thanks to food (and that statement right there sums me up completely. How my whole mood is dependent on food)
Anyway whilst we were all at breakfast, which was a strangely happy breakfast where everybody was smiling and happy to be with each other,(lets see how long this lasts) we got our time tables for this year and it put everybody in seventh year in a massive panic.
In Sixth year we picked our four most favourite lessons that we wanted to study for N.E. which was okay because they were spread out over the week and we still had the odd compulsory muggle studies, which I really didn't mind, and herbology, which I am really honestly so bloody grateful to see the back end of.
But this year it's completely changed.
We have three subjects before lunch and one after which are you chosen four and they are in the same order, same class and same teacher every day. (So Merlin help if you got landed with somebody you hate.) And then afterwards, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff have free period whilst Gryffindor and Slytherin have another one of their four lessons, and then they swap.
I know I was as bloody mind blown as everybody else.
"Lil do you have Care of Magical Creatures on a Tuesday period two or a Thursday period two"
"Rose I don't take Care of Magical Creatures, that's Jess"
"No Lil I take Charms not Care of Magical Creatures, its Zoe that takes that"
"But all of us take Divination on a Monday period one?"
"No Zoe, Rose does but I have Astronomy and Lil has Defence Against the Dark Arts"
I can say with confidence I don't have a clue who's in any of my classes after that conversation.
"Hey at least we all know we have double free period on a Friday?" Rose said as if she had worked out the answer to create the elixir of life.
Very good observation Rose, well done.
"Knowing me I'm going to get dumped with a rubbish class with Bronte Taylor in where I don't learn or they sabotage my work on purpose" I said, hoping for some kind of support in who I have lessons with.
"Come of it Lil!" Rose said, really trying pick me up as she could see that I was glum because of the faces I was making with my tomato ketchup. "You'll be placed with all the smart ones which means you will definitely not be placed with Bronte Taylor!"
"So what lessons do we all have now?" I asked, trying to change the conversation.
"Erm, I have Transfiguration" Jess said.
"Herbology!" Zoe almost squealed.
"Seriously Zo, how can you even take that horror of a subject?"
"Well Lil, the same way you can class Potions as you favourite thing to study"
Very fare point Zoe.
"And I have Charms which starts in ten minutes and is in the other side of the castle." Rose stated, half leaving her seat.
"See you later guys"
"Bye Rose" We all said, in a somewhat dull tone because of what lessons we have next.
Apart from Zoe, who nearly ran to Herbology.
"Jess, I really hope that these lessons just hurry up because I want Lunch" I said glumly as Jess and I were climbing the stairs to our next lesson.
"Lily. You're an O grade student! You'll get to class, realise how much you've missed lessons and then at lunch you'll say you're just popping to the library for some extra revision! It happens every year Lil"
"I hope you right. See you in a bit" I said and wondered off to class.
I arrived at Defence Against the Dark Arts to find that I was in the exact same class as last year, which I was fine with because I was with Hope Fletchly; who is extraordinary at the subject so I learn greatly from her.
"Hey Lily"
"Hey Hope"
"Yanno I was worried we were going to be mixed up for this class because of a new year and all."
"Same Hope, I was really stressing actually. I learn so well from you and I was worried that I would get a D in this, if I wasn't with you"
"Lily are you kidding? I learn from you in this lesson! And you're predicted an O in everything!"
Bloody hell can't people shut up about me getting O's in every subject?! Because I'm not! And it's all down to the revising anyway…
Defence Against the Dark Arts when smoothly. We just did a recap over what we learnt last year and what was to be expected this I am still questioning myself why I took that subject in the first place.
So next I have Potions,(THANK MERLIN) this should go what Mum would say, swimmingly.
Potions has always been that subject where I have just clicked with and it's like were best friends.
So to speak.
In a subject-and-student relationship.
Also in Potions I have always had a really great class. Where we're all smart and we get it and we don't ask questions like 'What would you get if you mixed pollywood with lavender' because that is a potion which can't be completed without asperoll and every good Potion student knows that.
Not to mention the fact that Matt Wenlock and Frank Longbottom are in the class.
Matt Wenlock is a lovely lovely man. A true Ravenclaw with a beaters body and golden hair which is curly and all swept to the side and oh my goodness he is perfection. But of course Frank has Alice and I am sure Matt Wenlock doesn't even know who I am. But that doesn't stop me from daydreaming about them. (But I am not the sort to day dream in class, it's just like I said, I get Potions)
I arrived outside Potions to find a massive group outside my classroom. And what I think could be the worst had happened. All the classes had been moved round which could mean I will no longer have Matt to stare at when I've finished my concoctions and have nothing better to do.
There was a list on the door of who was still in the class and the new people. And there was my name and a little below was Matts. All was safe and well. I walked in and let everybody else faff over where they were meant to be and spoke to Professor Slughorn instead because, he really is a great man.
"Hello Sir!"
"Ahh! Miss Evans! How wonderful to see you!"
I couldn't help but chuckle. You see, the wonderful thing about Slughorn is that he is just such a jolly man. With a moustache and a beer belly! And always laughing and smiling. I think it may be down to him that I love this lesson so much.
"And wonderful to see you too Sir! What's going on outside?" I asked turning back round to face the angry mob outside.
"There's been a little mix up with class' this year and I realised that I have some really able students who could help others who may be… of a lower ability achieve some really great results."
So basically Sir we're getting the dumb ones who are going to make my learning shit and get me a D possibly a T in my work? Thankyou! So kind!
"Oh right, so what happens to us who are staying in the class?"
"Well, I'm thinking of putting you all next to somebody who you could help achieve those grades."
Oh Merlin. so now I have to sit by some dumb twit who doesn't even know what a potion is.
"EVERYBODY. EVERYBODY LISTEN." Slughorn belched "If you are one of my old students come inside now and we'll get you seated. To my new students, wait outside."
This is only going to turn out bad. I can sense it.
Ahh, there is my Matt. With his perfect hair and perfect curls and perfect halo above his head.
Maybe Sir will realise that we can get amazing grades and put us together. That would be fab.
I ran to my usual seat because If I was losing my class I was most definitely not losing my bloody seat. So I sat down and got everything ready to show that I am here to learn and not to be teaching people who don't get potions as well as me.
I was expecting bad, but not the worst.
But the worst really did bloody happen.
"Alright Evans? Ready to teach me Potions?"
Oh Merlin fucking help please Merlin!
"Potter tell me this is a joke"
"Nope. Real life. And you better get used to it because its going to be for all seventh yea-"
Holy crap Emma Browns in the class too and she has made that pretty obvious by coming and snogging his face off.
"Potter I am not sitting by you if all your going to do is snog her bloody face off" I said, quite sternly after Emma went back down to sit with Sirius.
"Chill Evans! She just wants a taste of the old James"
Merlin is this idiot for real.
"Shut up and only talk to me when necessary, ok?"
"Evans, we're going to have to talk often you know. Whether you like it or not"
"Look. I'm really happy that I have the chance to be head girl, not so much that your head boy but I'm not going to let you stop me ruining my experience ok?"
"Don't you think you could just give me a chance?"
"No I don't. I don't want to give you a chance because I know you'll take the piss out of me again"
"Li-"
"Okay so everybody open there books to page 245 and we'll begin!" Slughorn boomed across the classroom. Thank god he stopped that conversation!
Potter didn't speak to me all lesson because most of it was writing down stuff of the blackboard.
I did get a couple of scrunched up love notes in the back of my head from Emma which were meant for Potter though. So, all in all not a bad lesson?
I was just about to run as fast as I could to Charms when I felt somebodies hand embrace mine with a really really tight grip and wouldn't let go. I whipped my head round to see who was preventing me from escaping this lesson. Potter. Of course!
"Potter what do you want?!"
"Wait for me in the common room at half seven by the fire okay?"
WHAT! No way am I doing that!
"No! Why would I do that?"
"Because, Evans, we have a prefect meeting tonight. Remember?"
Remember? He hasn't even told me about this! I didn't know we were meant to organise a meeting! And he could tell I didn't by the way my cheeks burned a guilty red and the right side of his mouth turned into a smile.
"Oh. Of course. I'll make my own way there" I lied
"No you won't" He argued back
"Why Potter? You're not the boss of me!"
"No I know I'm not. But I know where this meeting is and you don't, so you've got no choice"
I yanked my arm free and walked as fast as I could then began sprinting once I turned the corner.I have never ran so fast from Potions to Charms in my life.
Is this what a heart attack feels like or something?
I am just so thankful right now that Jess is in my class. I really need her best friend support.
"Je…Jess. Please… Please help." I begged, painting my little heart out.
"Whoa Lil what's happened? Has a troll been set lose or something?"
"No… Worse. Oh a whole lot worse. Not only do I sit by him in Potions I now have to fin-"
"Lil! Who's he!"
"Potter!" I shouted. "Who else would it be!"
"You're in the same Potions now?" She asked, with a questioning look on her face.
And all through charms I explained about what he said and, regrettably, didn't listen to what Professor Bry was saying.
"So now I need to find out from some prefect where this meeting is" I said, really out of breathe because I was really giving a detailed description.
"You could just go with him Lil"
Jess my dear friend! Are you stupid!
"Jess I am not interacting with Potter any more than I need to now! Potions and Head duties are enough of him thankyou!"
"Don't you thin-"
"NO I WILL NOT GIVE HIM A CHANCE!"
I haven't spoken to Jess all lesson because I don't want to and I know that whatever she says to me will probably be a telling off. And thank goodness lessons finished so we can go to lunch and I can eat my worry about James Potter out on food and pudding.
Yes that seems reasonable.
I'll have to ask Bronte when the meeting is tonight though because I can't ask Remus because he's with Potter and there seems to be no other prefect here.
Typical.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHEN MY OWN MEETINGS ARE. WHAT TYPE OF EXCUSE IS THAT FOR HEAD GIRL.
"Hey Bronte. Um I was just wondering where you've heard the meeting is tonight?" I asked, rather politely for my own liking.
"What Lily? You're telling me you're head girl and you don't even know when your own meeting is?" She said laughing.
I know there aren't a lot of nice people in Slytherin but they could've picked anybody over Bronte Taylor for prefect.
"No, it's not that. It's just I've heard numerous people say different places and I was just checking you knew the right place to go to" I said, with my cheeks turning crimson.
Good cover up Lily, surprisingly good on your half.
Unfortunately Bronte didn't believe me and shouted in front of the remaining students in the Great Hall,
"HEY JAMES!" She boomed.
Seriously boomed. I think she has injured my ears. James looked up from his food not paying too much attention.
"LILY DOESN'T KNOW WHERE THE MEETING IS" She said, laughing.
I'm sorry but this isn't even that funny.
"SHALL WE NOT TELL HER AND PROVE TO EVERYONE HOW SHIT A HEAD GIRL SHE IS THAT SHE CANT EVEN ORGANISE HER OWN MEETINGS?" she said as she began laughing her head off.
I didn't look at James. I didn't want to see him joining in on her hurtful comments. He knows that I have no idea where this meeting is that he organised and he's going to join in this chance to mock if I wanted to stay I couldn't see what was happening through the tears forming in my eyes. So I ran out the Great Hall and headed straight to class, ignoring the tears running down my face.
I've never wanted to get to History of Magic so fast and right now I'm grateful that there's only 15 of us in a class;which are all Ravenclaw's or Hufflepuff's who mind their own business. After Defence Against the Dark Arts I went straight to the library for free period. Hey I guess Jess was right. I have returned to Library. Maybe I should start living here?
But what was Potter thinking, embarrassing me like that in front of everybody. He's still the same idiot who only cares about himself.
I wonder what's for dinner tonight? Actually I wont think about it because I am definitely not going down there to face all those people who saw me run off crying. Thinking about it, where's Jess Rose and Zoe?! I thought it would be pretty obvious that if something upset me I would come straight to the you, best friends, for being so very supportive in a time in great need where I am making a fool out of myself as being Head Girl and James Potter has once again started to ruin my life and will most certainly make me fail Potions.
"LILY FOR MERLINS SAKE WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" Rose screamed down my ear whole whilst waking me with a book.
I seemed to have fallen asleep.
"Rose! Oh my god what's going on?" I said, with half my eyes closed and peeling some parchment of my face.
"You've missed dinner and its quarter past seven, but are you okay? Where did you go after Dark Arts?" She asked me with a worrying look on her face.
Was she not there at lunch or something?
"Um I came to the library?" I said, thinking that would be obvious.
"But you know that on the first week back nobody takes free period and just stays in the common room. And after you ran out crying nobody knew where you were!"
I am going to ignore the comment about crying because that is utter humiliation.
"So where am I meant to be now?" I asked, not wanting to know really because the place I wanted most was my bed back at home.
"Well the prefects meeting starts at half past, doesn't it?" She said quite quietly.
Oh double bloody fuck. Not only do I not know where it is, I'm going to be this is a joke. Why am I even allowed to be a witch. I would be much better as a nun or something.
"Lil its alright, I know where it is, third floor charm classroom." She said as if reading my mind.
I didn't ask her how she knew or anything I just gave a her a massive hug and ran. Stuffing my books into my bag as I went. Gosh I've got to really redeem myself this meeting. Make myself look responsible and a good head girl.
Bloody hell when has this charms door been so bleeding heavy to open? And thank god nobody has noticed I'm late! Everybody's just talking an-
Oh god I forgot about him. Bloody Potter.I am not talking to him at all. Nope. No way.
"Well now everybody's here I guess we start?" Potter said smiling at me.
Well welcome to planet earth Potter you're not getting a smile back. Idiot.
The meeting went fine. All I had to say was 'What a privilege to be head girl it was'. Potter did most of the talking. All the attention on him is just how he likes it. Not complaining though, of course. I am not in the mood to talk.
"So I think that's the end of this meeting then" James said calling the event to a close.
Thank Merlin. Does he not realise my bed is calling?
"Me and Lily are just going to stay behind and work on a couple of things. I guess we'll see you this time next week, same place. We'll notify you if anything changes"
Ahh. That is my que to leave. Good bye everybo-
Wait.
He said we have to stay behind.
God no!
"Potter I'm not staying! I cant!" I said almost pleading.
"Lily we need to plan some stuff out."
Lily.
Why did he call me Lily? He has never ever called me Lily!
"Why what do we need to do?" I asked not showing any emotion.
"Dumbledore has asked us to think of some ways we can improve the school. It won't take long Evans"
I sat down in the seat. Not looking at him or saying anything. I was going to play poker face.
"You know Evans, the whole point of head boy and girl is to talk together and make the school a better place" He said, trying to look into my eyes.
"Well, I'm sorry Potter but you are not the type of person who I would want to talk to" I said quietly.
Oh my god. Do I realise what I'm doing? Oh bloody hell I'm an awful person. Potter just wants to do head business and I'm kicking a fuss over it because he's head boy! He doesn't deserve head boy from my point of view but if anybody else was in my position they would just bloody get on with it! But not me! Why do I make it horrible for myself!
Oh god no, here come the water works.
"Shit Evans! What's the matter! Why are crying?!" He said in a quick high pitched voice.
"I'm shit! I'm shit! Why am I allowed to be a witch let alone Head girl?" I said with my face buried deep in my hands, telling him what I had asked myself earlier.
"Why do you think your shit?" He asked, is a strange non James Potter voice.
Is he actually caring or am I kidding myself.
What the hell a problem shared is a problem halved, right?
I sat there, crying like a mad women, telling him what I had just thought. And he was just listening. Which is very un Potterish.
"And when Bronte Taylor shouted at you in the Hall saying how shit a head girl I was I knew that was it and you would mock me to so I ran" I said finishing my story.
"Lily why do you think that! You're not shit at all. In fact at home when I found out I was Head Boy I was really panicking. Do you wanna know why?" He asked me, with a really straight serious face which I have never seen James Potter do before.
"Why?" I asked, sniffing my bunged up nose from crying so much.
"Because I knew you would be head girl. And everybody loves you Lily you just don't see it. I knew then that that would mean I was going to definitely be the shitter one of the headship tea-
Wait did you say I was mocking you with Bronte at lunch?!" He said.
Oh god what's he going to say now. Oh bloody hell.
"Um yea why"
"Evans what! Why the fuck would I mock you!"
He said it really sternly rising from his chair.
"Because you have since third year. If you were going to say something it would only be bad!" I alleged, starting to raise my voice.
"What! Oh bloody hell! Fuck this Evans" He said walking towards the door.
"Potter!" But before I could say anything he was gone.
I walked back to the common room not in the mood for anybody else and went straight to be without talking to anybody because what I really wanted was sleep.
"Lil wake up!"
Whoa thanks Rose for that gentle waking. I arose from my bed with my hair in a tangle and all over my face. It was just us four in the dormitory. Clearly Chloe and Hope were really hungry as it's only 7:15.
"God yesterday was awful" I stated to them all whilst climbing out my bed making my way to the bathroom.
"Why? I thought it went fine" Zoe said looking at me questioningly.
"Yes Zo but you didn't get publicly humiliated by Bronte Taylor and Potter did you?"
Seriously were they this stupid?
"What?" They all chorused together.
I turned around and stared at them all.
"You were all there! You all heard what they said!"
"Lily we heard what Taylor said but not James" Said Rose, as if I was really stupid.
"Yeah Lil, what did James say?" Jess questioned me as she cocked her right eyebrow.
What did he say! The question should be more what he didn't!
"Well he said that I wa-" And I stopped dead in my tracks.
He didn't say anything at all when I was in the room so why was I under the impression he had? I could tell they knew I was thinking this by the look on my face which had gone from smug to embarrassed.
"Exactly Lil, you didn't hear what he said" Jess stated in a know-it-all way.
"So he said something then!" I shouted as if I had answered the questions to the seven wonders of magic. I knew that there was more to this than I first thought.
"Yes he did" They all said together.
Then silence.
"So what did he say?" I asked finally, breaking the tension.
"Well he-" stated Jess
"He kindve-" interrupted Rose
"It was so sweet of him actually-" admitted Zoe
"FOR MERLINS SAKE SOMEBODY JUST SAY WHAT HE SAID!" I screamed.
They all looked at each other, questioningly, until Jess finally said.
"He stuck up for you Lil, more than anybody else would've"
"Yeah after you ran off and Bronte was laughing James stood up marched right over and was having a proper good go at her" Rose added
"Yea we didn't hear most of what he said. The only thing we heard was right at the end when he shouted 'She is a perfect Head Girl and is doing the job better than anybody ever could! And I for one am so proud to be able to say I'm Head Boy with her!' Or something like that" Zoe said speaking really quickly.
"And then he came up to us and said that he was going to look for you but if he couldn't find you the meeting was in the third floor charms classroom" Rose finished.
My chin was touching the floor. No way would James Potter say that about me!
"What! Did he really say that?" I asked them all, quietly with embarrassment creeping through my voice.
"Lil why would we make that up" Jess, my dearest friend for as long as I remember said.
Oh god. I had a go at him last night for it. Oh shit I'm an awful human. And clearly they could see the look of panic on my face.
"Oh Merlin Lily what have you said?" Zoe asked
I am perfectly positive that my face was the same colour as my hair.
"I had a go at him after the head meeting last night" I confessed
"YOU DID WHAT?" they all shouted at me
"I know! I shouldn't have but that's the way Potter's always been to me! He has never been nice or kind so I just assumed the normal!"
"Lily! You need to give him a chance!" Jess said sternly.
And with that I went to go and have breakfast and seek the company of Chloe Tapping knowing she wouldn't judge me.
Oh god I have Potions next. What on earth do I say to Potter! 'Oh hey James sorry for being a brat and assuming that you would piss me about yesterday like you always have done. Friends? Good.'
I'm sure that would go down well. Not. For merlin's sake Lil just put on a brave face and concentrate on Potions.
Potter sat down next to me with a big humph and got all his parchment out of his bag. I wasn't going to make eye contact because that would make this even more awkward than it already bloody is. And then he did something which I did not see coming.
"Tonight, eight pm, third floor charms classroom. Don't be late okay?"
"um why?" I asked him, really confused.
"Head Business Evans what else" He looked at me with stupidity in his eyes.
And he didn't speak to me for the rest of the lesson.
I arrived at lunch to see Jess, Rose and Zo sitting with Sirius and Remus.
"Hey" I said to them all.
"Hey Lily" They all replied back. Apart from Sirius who called me 'Evans'.
"What are we all talking about then" I asked because when I arrived they seemed in a bit of a heated discussion.
"Nothing" They all said, which did seem suspicious. And then everybody just carried on eating which was really really strange.
All day went by and nothing interesting happened. I used my free period up this time though with studying for charms and not actually falling asleep like yesterday and then I descended down to the Great Hall for dinner.
"Hey Lil" They all said as I sat down. And we carried on as normal scoffing our faces with food and talking about today's lessons and gossip, which according to them there wasn't any. But I couldn't find it in me to believe them after what happened at lunch.
"Hey Lil where you going?" Jess asked me as I was leaving my seat.
"Potter's asked me to go for another heads meeting tonight. Probably because he wants us to do what we were meant to do yesterday" I said, adding a little laugh at the end trying to make it humorous.
Which they didn't laugh back at.
"Well just give James a fair chance yeah?" Rose said to me.
"Yeah" I smiled back.
Really what did they think I was going to do? Bite his head off?!
The door to the charms classroom had been left propped open today and I entered to find James already in there.
"Evans" he said, without even looking at me.
"Hi" I replied "So why did you want this meeting?" I asked
"To do these things the Dumbledore wanted doing but we never got round to yesterday, remember?" He said, maybe sarcastically.
Lily if you want to be a good head girl that's only going to happen by having a clean slate with head boy. So for this reason you may as well come clean.
"Potter I'm sorry about last night. I didn't me-"
"Forget it Evans, it doesn't matter anymore" He almost snapped at me.
"No Potter, because I heard you said some really nice things and stuck up for me back there and I feel pretty bad about it now" I confessed running fingers through my hair.
"Lily, I only stick up for what I think's right. I just wish you would stop judging me so quickly" He admitted. I have never seen this side of Potter before. And I don't know if it's new or I haven't noticed it before. Either way, it's weird.
"I don't judge you!" I said which sounded meaner than I had intended
"You do Evans!"
"I don't I-"
"Lily I don't care, let's just get this done yea?" He said looking tired.
I don't know why but I felt really bad.
"Sorry Potter" I said, not really knowing what I was sorry for.
"Its fine Lily. Shall we go in the common room? It's freezing down here"
It's as if he read my mind. It is bloody freezing down here.
"Yea okay" I quickly replied getting up. But when I saw that he didn't follow, I turned around and stared at him and he was staring back through his round glasses which, I have never noticed before, but really compliment his eyes.
"What Potter?" I asked
"You don't have to call me Potter Lily, you can call me by my first name" He said with a smile on his face.
"Okay James" I replied as we both started walking to the common room together.
