Chapter Seven


"Pick on someone your own age, next time!" Lily Evans yelled behind her shoulder as she ushered a first year Slytherin boy away from Potter and Black, members of the new so-called 'Marauders'. Lily rolled her eyes in distaste every time she overheard them refer to themselves as that disdainful name.

Lily had caught Potter and Black hounding the first year for reasons she didn't care enough to hear. So, like the Lily Evans she was, she swooped down to the rescue of the poor, innocent first-year, regardless of his House colors.

She snatched a hanky from her robe and dabbed at his eyebrow, which had been cut open due to Black's roughhousing. She dabbed at it gently and asked, "What in the world's name was that all about, huh? Don't worry about those guys, they're jerks."

The little boy slapped her hand away and glared at her with such a hatred Lily was astounded to see. "I don't need help from mudbloods like you! My mother warned me to keep away from your kind!" He shot her one last sneer and ran off, leaving Lily to stare after him, mouth agape.

Remus came up from behind her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "So you've already met the darling Regulus Black, eh? Quite the little angel, isn't he?"

Lily looked at him, astonishment still echoing in her eyes. "Black? As in Sirius Black?"

"Yes, that was his little brother. Two of a kind, aren't they?" he said, voice dripping in sarcasm.

Lily slowly shook her head. "Sirius would never call me... what Regulus just did." Lily was ashamed of the tears that were beginning to form in her eyes. "I was just trying to help the poor boy. They were mocking him and hitting him around, I just didn't think that it was right."

Remus sighed, "I wouldn't regret what you did back there, Lily. Yes, Regulus is a little twerp, but he's still little. There's still time to change his mind around, and what James and Sirius were doing wasn't exactly helping."

They fell into a silence, and Lily recounted how thankful she was that James and Sirius hadn't seen the exchange between herself and Regulus. She didn't want them making fun of her for getting told off by a first year. She made this known to Remus who smile wistfully and replied that they would never do such a thing.

He mustered a smile from her, and the two walked towards Potions class, a class she was happy to know she had with Severus.

Putting the past event behind her, Lily changed the topic. "Fourth Year, huh? Can you believe how fast time has flown? Soon, we're going to be taking our O.W.L's, then our N.E.W.T's, then it's on to - !"

"Whoa, slow down Lily!" Remus laughed. "Please, one step at a time!"

Lily joined in and joked, "I live fast, Remus! You gotta keep up!" They reached the door to Potions and was herded in with the other students by Professor Slughorn.

"Lily, m'dear! I recognize that red hair from anywhere! How lovely to see you again, sweet girl. Had a good summer holes, I presume?" Slughorn said, one hand on his protruding stomach.

"Yes, sir. It was wonderful. I hope yours was enjoyable as well?" she politely inquired.

"Ah, as enjoyable as it can get, thank you. Now, I have you paired up with Severus once again. That's alright, correct m'dear? I simply must have my top students working together!"

Lily grinned. "That's quite aright, thank you." She made her way over to her usual spot, next to Severus. She brightly smiled at him, which he grudgingly returned. She noticed how he frequently glanced over at Mulciber or Avery, who sneered in her direction. Every once in a while, she caught Severus shrug at them in a 'what can you do?' sort of way.

She glared at him until he turned and faced her. "If you want to switch partners, I'll be fine with that, Sev." she practically growled.

"No, no. Lily, I really want to be your partner, really."

"Doesn't look that way."

"I'll be your partner, Evans." said a hopeful James, who had been sitting behind them and overheard their conversation.

"Stuff it, Potter!" Severus retorted angrily. Pure hatred was etched into every crevice of his face, and Lily suddenly didn't want to be near him when he was being like this.

"Fine, I'll be your partner, James." She emphasized his first name, so as to make it seem she was on a friendly basis with Potter. Lily knew she was hitting below the belt, but it was clear that Severus just didn't want to be seen with a muggleborn like herself.

"Lily!" an astonished Severus exclaimed.

"Prongs! I'm your partner!" Sirius said, taking his portions textbook and hitting James on the shoulder with a loud thwack! James shoved him off the bench and patted the now-empty seat next to him, eyeing Lily.

"Sorry, Padfoot. Lily Evans before friends," said James with a cocky wink.

She collected her stuff and sat down carefully, inspecting her surroundings in fear of a prank. Once it was deemed safe, she started to organize her new work space, Severus glancing back at her every so often.

Sirius reluctantly sat down next to Snape, eyeing him in distaste. Within seconds, the two were in a shouting match, which Slughorn had to break up.

Lily feigned deafness and attempted to work with James on a Draught of Living Death potion. It was quite a feat once they had finished due to James' continued harassing and joking with Sirius.

"Potter! Will you pay attention!? I need three strands of Centaur hair!" He held up the desired ingredient in front of the frenzied girl.

"And why aren't you stirring? That was supposed to be your job!" she interrogated him, glaring fiercely up at him.

"I just didn't want to get in your way!" He retaliated, glaring back.

She rolled her eyes, "More like you wanted to get a good grade with as minimal effort possible!"

His face broke out in a wide smile. "You're so smart."

She snatched the little leather bag of Centaur hair away from him and sighed exasperatedly. Then began adding a strand every other counter-clockwise stir, and shot dirty looks over at James just as often.


Once Slughorn ended class, Lily collected her things and shot out of the room before anyone else had even put out the fire below their cauldrons. She wanted to avoid all things Severus, James Potter and Sirius Black.

"Lily!" Alice called out from down the hall. Lily waved back and the two girls walked towards the Great Hall together.

"How was your last class?" Alice asked.

"Wouldn't want to repeat it," she replied with a wiry smile. Alice gave her a sympathetic look while they sat down to lunch.

"Merlin, I'm ravenous!" Lily said, as she scooped up a serving of Yorkshire pudding.

"Evans, you forgot your quill," James Potter said from behind her. She jumped at the sound of his voice and turned in her seat. She accepted it with a small 'thank you' and refused to meet his eyes. After that last class, she was in no mood for the presumptuous fool that was Potter.

He took a seat next to her and said, "Listen, Evans. I was wondering... " She noticed how his usual overconfident air was now replaced with nervousness and how he kept looking at his hands rather than look her in the eye.

He stuck his hand in his hair and adjusted his glasses. 'I was thinking, well, more like hoping, that maybe sometime..."

Her stomach sank, guessing as to what was about to come.

"Maybe sometime we could go to Hogsmeade... together." He stopped twisting his hands and looked up hopefully.

Lilly glanced to the side, praying that no one was paying attention to their conversation. She bit her lip and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, Potter. But I don't want to date someone who calls me by my surname or bullies my best friend. I'm flattered - and slightly surprised - but... I can't." She felt awful. She watched as his shoulders sank and his cheeks redden from embarrassment.

"Fine, that's fine..." He struggled to regain his overconfident attitude. "I get it. You hate me - "

"What? I never said I - "

"No, I get it, Evans. You're too good for me, aren't you. The always perfect Lily Evans can't stoop to my level, isn't that right?" He slung at her.

Lily pursed her lips and looked down. She let him bash her, simply because she knew he was trying to cover up the fact that she turned him down, and how his pride popped like a balloon. He was trying to regain it by making her feel bad... which she hated to admit was working.

He stormed out of the Great Hall, probably in search of his friends, and Lily was left to push her food around on her plate the rest of the period, suddenly not hungry anymore.