Lily stirred in her sleep. Lavender's hand instantly went to her head and soothed her. Lily let out a content moan and hugged her pillow more. Lavender continued to stroke Lily's hair, something that she had liked as a child. John pulled back the curtains with two teas and sat down in the chair next to Lavender.
"You should get some sleep." Said John. "Lily's fine." Lavender shook her head.
"We should have been there John." She said lightly, "We should have protected her." There was a thick silence between them.
"I think we should pull her out." Said Lavender. "We should have protected her, and we weren't here."
"We couldn't have known." Said John, "Lily even said she followed him." Lavender looked round.
"I was naïve enough to think that this place had no bad people in It." said Lavender, "I guess magic is the same as our world."
"I didn't really think Lily would experience it in her first year." Said John. He stroked her hair as well. "But do we have a right to take her out though?"
"I think so." Said Lavender, "Maybe this place isn't as safe as it claims."
"What would she come back to though?" Asked John, "We take her out of this place, a place where she has friends. You saw how many people gathered to see her after they found out she'd been found. They even brought her radio for her because they knew she loves it so much. Would she have got that if she was at home?"
Lavender looked up at the radio on the small bedside table, but just couldn't answer. Instead she continued to stroke Lily's hair. "You know I'm right." Lavender sighed.
"She would probably resent us as well." Added John, "Finally finding a place she belongs. Only for us to take it away because of our own insecurities." Lavender again couldn't answer.
"She's top of her class as well." Said John, "She had friends over at Easter, something you always wanted her to do. And her house threw her a party for her birthday so she wouldn't be distracted that we weren't there."
"You want her to stay?" asked Lavender looking back at him.
"No." said John. He moved his hand over and held Lavenders hand. "I want her to be happy." He said.
"Wouldn't she want to be happy at home?" asked Lavender. John sighed and looked out the window at the starry night. Lavender knew what was coming next. A very hard truth. "Lavender…Lily…we always knew Lily was…different." Said John, "I suppose we knew that she was always different, but didn't want to do accept it."
"Maybe we knew something was wrong deep down." Said Lavender, "Remember when that truck smashed into her. And she didn't have scratch on her."
"Or when she put the school keeper in hospital with her shots." Both laughed lightly as not to wake Lily.
"Or when she told you football sucked and you banished her to her room when the world cup was on." John laughed.
"I remember." He said, "But…she always came to my matches so she could read during the game, and have a kick about afterwards because she just wanted to spend time with me."
Was it a losing battle? Lavender couldn't tell.
"I mean…people have been asking why Lily goes to boarding school and not Petunia." Said Lavender.
"I'm more surprised they fell for Christian reform. Was Lily that much of a tearaway?" Lavender shrugged. Lily stirred uneasily.
"Hush, sweetheart." Lavender said gently kissing her forehead. Lily made a comforting noise and rested again. They both looked on at their daughter, twelve years of love and nurturing before them. Twelve years of memories, more near misses than they care to admit, and thousands of tales to be shared.
"She's like you when you when she sleeps." Said John. Lavender looked over, her eyes red and from crying. She smiled softly.
"She is my daughter." Said Lavender proudly. She looked back at Lily and sighed softly, "My…daughter." She continued to stroke the dark hair.
"I think maybe she should come home for some recuperation." Said Lavender, "This must have taken a lot out of her."
"She's strong." Said John he stood up and hugged Lavender round her shoulders. "She's part me, and part you. That is a pretty strong combination."
"What if it's not strong enough?" asked Lavender.
"You sometimes don't give her enough credit." Said John. "Maybe we never let her express herself, maybe we kept her in her shell."
"What?" Lavender turned round in her chair. "You're implying that we stifled her?"
"You're the one who told her magic didn't exist." Said John, "And now look where we are."
"I had no idea—"Lily stirred at the loud voices.
"I had no idea then!" Lavender hissed, "And neither did you!"
"But maybe we could have handled it better." Said John, "Instead of sweeping it under the carpet like you did."
"Under the carpet!"
"It only took her nearly drowning for you to take her seriously." Argued John, "And then what. Every time she did does something keep telling her nicely to stop?"
"If I remember rightly." Said Lavender fiercely, "You didn't want her to go in the first place!" John bit his lip and had his hands on his hips.
"Yes, I didn't want my little girl to go to Scotland for nine months of the year! But being here, seeing the friends she's made, the adventures she's written to us about. I now know this is the place for her. And if I remember rightly." John stood defiantly in front of her.
"You're the one who convinced me to let her go. Saying she could hurt herself and others if we didn't." Lavender's eyes started to water. John sighed. He hated it when Lavender cried.
"Why can't we agree on this?" Said Lavender, she shook her head and sat down. There was a long silence that they both spent looking at their daughter. After a while, Lavender spoke up.
"I need some space John." Said Lavender. She went back to stroking Lily's hair, John went to argue but didn't.
"I want to stay." He said quietly. Lavender turned round.
"Please, give me some time," said Lavender. She turned back round. John pulled back the curtains and left. Lavender sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Mum…" Lavender looked round and saw Lily looking lazily up at her.
"Sweetheart, what it is?" asked Lavender stroking her hair.
"…Why where you and dad arguing?" she asked tiredly. Lavender breathed in sharply, guilt and shame coursing through her.
"We weren't." said Lavender, kissing her forehead. "No, we weren't. He just popped out for something." she lied.
"Ok." Said Lily lightly, "I love you two. You know that, don't you?"
"I know Lily." Said Lavender, "We both do. Now try and get some sleep."
The Marauders Proudly Present James Potter and Lily Evans In: The Marauders Year One
Chapter Thirty Four
Strange New World
Written By Chambers10
John stormed into the great hall and sat down. He rested his heads in his hands, he brought his finger through his hair and looked around the hall.
"Rough day?" John looked round to see Alec Potter with a bottle in his hand. He walked over and sat down on the table next to John.
"Sit at this one." he said shaking the bottle. "My son and your daughter are in this house." John chuckled, swung his legs over and sat next to Alec on the Gryffindor table.
"That's the Hufflepuff table." said Alec, he took a swig from his bottle. "Don't want to end up there." He said passing John the bottle.
"Why?" asked John, taking a swig.
"There's a reason it has puff in it." Alec said taking the bottle and drinking again.
"Again…rough day?" asked Alec he pushed the bottle over to John. John eyed it, then picked it up and took a swig. The liquid burned his throat, but it had a sweet after taste on the way down. John looked at the bottle.
"Not bad." Said John, "And yeah. Bad day."
"Same." Said Alec. "How comes you're not with your daughter?"
"Lavender doesn't want me there right now." said John, he took another swig. He placed the bottle down and pushed it over to Alec.
"Kath doesn't want me near James either." Said Alec. "According to her, I'm a bad influence." He laughed and took a swig. The two men sat in silence.
"You saved my daughter's life you know." Said John. Alec laughed and shook his head.
"I didn't." he said, "I wish I could say it but It was my son who saved her."
"Your son?"
"James." Said Alec. John turned and faced him with a questioning look on his face.
"How though?" Alec told the story of how James and Lily where stranded by the fire, and how James convinced him that they could get back out.
"And then James and your daughter flew through the tunnel." Explained Alec, "They both jumped and James cushioned there fall." Alec took another drink from the bottle and handed it to John. "Hence his broken shoulder."
"I didn't know." Said John.
"I never believed people when they said he was like me." Said Alec, "I guess I can't ignore it now."
"I'm sorry for getting your daughter into this mess." He said, "I should have warned the school."
"It wasn't your fault mate." said John, "Maybe it was, I don't know, but…but Lavender thinks it's ours."
"How?"
"We weren't sure whether we should send Lily here or not." Said John, "It was completely out of the blue, I mean, it's not every day your told your daughter's a witch."
"That's true." Said Alec. "But you seem to have coped well so far."
"So far." Said John. "But, I mean, how do we explain to our friends that she's a witch and her sister isn't.
"Well wait till she turns eleven." Said Alec. "And say you've sent her off to boarding school."
"Well, her sister is older than her." said John. "So I don't think that's going to happen."
"We've said she's going to school in America." Said John. "People seem to believe that since she's smart." The two men sat in silence for a little while longer.
"Does James have any siblings?" asked John.
"He used to." Said Alec.
"Oh…I'm sorry," said John.
"It's alright." Alec reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out his wallet, he opened it and pulled out a photo. He showed it to John. The picture was of a happy family, it reminded John of his own.
They were on a beach somewhere. Alec was laughing holding his wife whose face was partially covered by a big hat. He then saw James, just like a smaller version of Alec, except his hair was wild and askew, then. There was girl, she was pretty, very pretty, reminded John a little of Lily. She had very big blue eyes and long wavy black hair, she and her brother were pulling faces at each other and generally having fun.
"Her name's Harriet." Said Alec, "She and James are twins." John nodded as Alec placed the photo, and then his wallet into his pocket.
"So…are you like James Bond then?" asked John.
"Something like that." Said Alec.
"So…there's more to it?" Alec closed his eyes, smiled and nodded.
"I deal with the darkest, most depraved killers in the world." Said Alec. "Magical and muggle alike."
"It must take its toll."
"That's why I have Katherine and James." Said Alec. "If you question yourself, even for a moment, this world will swallow you whole."
"And I only work for a car firm." Said John. "This makes my life seem dull."
"Sometimes, dull is good." Said Alec.
The first rays of sun hit the great hall. A couple of early birds had come down and looked surprised to see two grown men sitting at the table. Slowly, more and more people began to join them.
"Hey, Alec." John looked up and saw three boys who were there last night to see how James and Lily where sit down opposite them.
"Hey boys." Said Alec wearily, "And before you ask. James is ok."
"What about Evans?" asked Sirius
"Ev—"
"She's ok." Said Alec, shushing John. When he gave Alec a questioning stare,.
"Who's your friend." Asked one of the boys.
"Boy's this is John Evans." Said Alec, "Friend of mine from the precinct. John, this is Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew." They chorused hellos and went back to their food.
"Can we visit James later?" asked Sirius, "It's been boring without him."
"I'm sure he'll love you to." Said Alec, "You should go and see Lily as well. She is in your house as well."
"The girls went to visit her now." she said Sirius, "In fact, here they come now." John looked over and saw a group of four girls coming in. Dorcas looked on the verge of tears.
"Hey, Dorc, you ok?" asked Sirius. She didn't reply.
"She's still a little emotional." Said Mary.
"Dorcas." Alec patted the seat next to him and in a voice so caring John didn't know he had it in him. Dorcas wandered over and sat next to Alec and instinctively leaned into him while Alec placed an arm round her.
"Lily and James will be alright." He said. "You don't need to worry about them, they'll be fine."
"Are you sure?" asked Dorcas. Alec nodded and smiled warmly.
"I know they both are." Said Alec. "I'll see that you guys are the first to visit them, ok?" Dorcas nodded and went to retrieve some toast.
Alec looked over at John. "Tell us more about Lily." Said Alec "We need to make a profile for her as to why Murdoch took her." The eight kids looked at each other.
"She's smart." Said Sirius, "Very smart."
"Only because she beats you in all the tests." Said Remus.
"Shut up,"
"She likes everyone." Said Peter, "She even likes the Slytherin's." John smiled.
"She doesn't take any of James's crap." Said Dorcas. "I think Lily might be the only one who could tame him."
"Tame him. Ridiculous." Said Alec.
"I don't know someone else who can stop him with just a look." Said Marlene.
"She can be a spoil sport though." Said Sirius
"Meaning?" asked John.
"We were doing this prank." Began Sirius, "We were going to put itching powder in the laundry. Well…the Slytherin laundry. And well, she caught us."
"How?"
"Followed us." Said Remus. "And got McGonagall there before we could do anything with her."
"Alright. Cheers guys. Come on John." Alec ushered for John to get to his feet and they walked out of the hall.
"Alec. Can I have a word?" Parks was standing outside the great hall with a grave look on his face.
"Go on, I'll be fine." Said Alec. John walked away while Parks made sure that he did.
"What is it?" asked Alec. Now noticing the steady stream on students. Parks sighed and led Alec further down the room towards the dungeon end of the castle.
"The prophet's heard." Said Stanford.
"Shit." Said Alec running a hand through his hair. "How long?"
"An hour, maybe more." Said Stanford. "Alec there on their way, they're going to want a press conference. About what this means for the world, this is one of those were where you when moments"
"I know." Said Alec. "That isn't what I'm concerned about." Parks looked confused.
"If the world finds out that Murdoch is captured it's going to cause a lot of people to re-think their position." Explained Alec. "We have to supress it." Parks nodded. "And make sure the Evans's don't say a thing."
"I don't think you need to worry about that." Said Parks. "They don't seem the type."
"No one seems the type." Said Alec. Stanford looked at Alec curiously.
"Why do you always assume the worst?" Alec started too walked past him.
"It's more pragmatic than hoping for the best." Said Alec. "I'm going to see my son."
John walked into the hospital wing and went to the right. John pulled back the curtains.
Lily was still sleeping in her bed. She looked so weak and helpless. Lavender stood up when he entered, he instantly hugged her, burying his head into her neck.
"You know what I've found out?" he whispered.
"What?" asked Lavender softly.
"That we…we made a damn good kid." Lavender looked up and smiled at John. Her mind went back all those years ago when they were in the terraced house in London just finding out about Petunia.
"I love you." she whispered.
"I love you to." Said John. "Why don't you go get some breakfast, I'll watch over Lily." Lavender looked over at Lily and back at John. "When was the last time you ate?" Lavender nodded and kissed John and planted a small one Lily's forehead.
"I'll be back soon." She said.
She walked down the stone corridor and then saw a tall figure coming towards her. She couldn't quite make him out, but then saw that it was Auror Potter. Lavender felt another twinge of guilt within her. She had been very hard on him, even though he had gone through the same thing as her. She was only now noticing the similarities her shared with his son. That wild black hair that refused to be tamed, but with a noticeable silver strands through it. A powerful and muscular physique that Lavender was too tired to notice, but she did notice his sharp blue eyes, which now looked tired from lack of sleep and exhaustion.
He walked, past her, not affording a second glance at her.
"Excuse me? Excuse me. Mr Potter." He stopped and turned round. His eyes no focusing on her.
"Yes Mrs Evans." Lavender breathed deeply and tried to choose her words carefully.
"Listen, Mr Potter." Lavender played with her fingers, a trait of when she was nervous, or apologising. He looked even more tired close up, but then she felt tired as well. Though she note that he had a handsome face. "I'm sorry for the way I acted out earlier." She said, "I know you were only doing your job but it was still bad of me to snap and shout at you like that, especially since you were going through what I was as well."
"Mrs Evans, you have nothing to apologise for." Said Alec. "You are a mother, and a mother's instinct is to find their child when they have been taken from them. You needn't apologise for what comes naturally to you." Lavender sighed.
"I just didn't want us to get off on the wrong foot." Said Lavender. "You're a good man." She swore that he shook his head. "And I thank you that you brought my daughter back to me. I don't know what I would have done if…" she couldn't finish. She brought her hand to her mouth. Her mind racing with the possibility that she might never of seen her daughter again.
"I know the pain of not having my child come home." Said Alec. Lavender looked up at him. He looked back at her, his eyes sad at the thoughts running in his own mind. "It's a pain that I wouldn't put on my worst enemy, not even the man who stole our children from us." He said.
"It's not the fact that you can't tell them that you love them one last time. Or hold them while they are still warm…It's when you realise that after years of love and nurturing, of witnessing them in your arms at seconds old, hearing their first worlds, seeing their first steps, witnessing every struggle, that they will never tell you that they love you again. That all you ever have are memories of them, and that is all you'll ever have of them."
Lavender looked on stunned at him. Alec then turned back to face ahead.
"Your words are what kept me going Mrs Evans." He said. "You were right, you would of haunted me until my dying breath if I hadn't brought your daughter home to you. I don't think I could of handled seeing that pain I endured on someone else's face."
"Mr Potter I-"
"It's Alec." He said.
"Alec. I really don't know what to say."
"You said it last night." He said. "Go get something to eat. You're going to need it." He walked away, his black coat billowing behind him as walked. Lavender watched him curiously. He looked and sounded like a tortured soul, a man constantly on the defensive and running from the demons of his past. Lavender hoped that he would one day find peace with himself.
"The news is just filtering through now, so the details are a little sketchy. But it seems like the mass terrorist; Robert Murdoch has been finally caught.
The elusive Grindewald loyalist has been apprehended after almost two decades on the run. Kimberly Turing has more details."
"The news is barely believable, but is true all the same. Robert Murdoch has finally been caught. Most famous for leading the massacre against muggleborn rebellions against Grindewald which enforced the muggle-rights act, the Glasgow born terrorist was caught last night under the direction of crack Auror Alec Potter who he was known to have a rivalry with back in yester year.
It all unfolded on Friday when two students, Alec Potters son and a muggleborn witch Lily Evans where kidnapped in the woods in Hogwarts school. It was then that the ministry called in Elite Auror Alec Potter to track down the killer, and in a day, he had. We are not sure where they were caught, or the nature of their rescue. But it has brought about one of the greatest victories in our time, and with elections next year, maybe we have seen a new major changer in the face of politics.
Captain of the Auror's Stanford Parks had this to say on the matter.
"Where not focusing on the capture. We are just happy that both children have been saved alive and well and a full statement will be issued shortly."
"The main story however has been re-emergence of Alec Potter. The youngest son of famed Socialite Dorea Potter nee Black and former finance minister Charlus Potter has had lived a life that at best can be described as, erratic.
After leaving Hogwarts at the age of eighteen, the former Quidditch captain spent his time in the words of his mother 'Unfulfilling his potential' by doing formula one broom racing across the world. Then at the age of twenty three he enlisted in the Magical Law enforcement department which noted his aptitude for extreme situations and detective skills. After the minimum two years he was fast tracked to the Auror department under the stewardship of famed Auror Edward 'Teddy' Stone. During that time he served in world war one, fighting at the Somme, and then again in World War Two, carrying out missions behind enemy lines before taking Berlin with allied forces, along with routing out Nazi concentration camps as well as many classified muggle and magical missions.
Then, his finest hour was when he apprehended deranged killer Jonathan Flint, aka The Necrofear where so many others had failed. After that, he became a respected and sometimes feared member of the wizarding community. Despite this he has remained a virtual recluse, not making many friends and keeping himself to himself in an unknown location, even though he has inherited the stately Potter Mansion. But the route hasn't really been easy for him. His marriage to Katherine Potter nee Day, a fellow Auror graduate brought about criticism from his mother who rejected the idea of him marrying beneath the family name. But it didn't stop Potter, even when told the possibility of conceiving children with his wife was almost impossible.
But, in 1960, he became father to twins, James Potter, who was kidnapped earlier, and Harriet Potter. With wizarding succession laws it meant that he now inherited the Potter fortune from his two older Brothers. He remained with the Auror's for a short period before retiring in 1964 to spend more time with his young family.
But, then, tragedy. A terrible accident claimed the life of his daughter he spiralled into a depression, including a few high profile drunken appearances that seemed to tarnish his reputation as some say 'The World's Greatest Detective.' But, he returned to the Auror's in 1969, most prominently on the JFK assassination and Cuban missile crisis before this new spell in the spotlight."
"It's good to see him back to what he does best." Said Old friend Dominic Meadows. "He's had his demons in the past but I Believe now that he's put them all behind him."
"Only one man could of caught that slimy son a bitch. And he did! Good on him!" said Matthew McKinnon.
"Though I feel safer with Robert Murdoch behind bars, I can't help but wonder why he couldn't of caught him sooner if it only took him a day?"
"With the elections coming up, I'd say that Alec Potter is the perfect choice to try and run for office. He has the influence and wealth to do so."
"Their celebrating this victory like it's the end. But what if something else comes over the horizon, something darker. Will it be a Potter that destroys it and the core, or only when the Potter family are in danger."
"People still haven't forgotten, about what happened in his darkest days? Is a recovering alcoholic-"
"That was never proven."
"But still, is this the sort of man we want protecting us as a society?"
John could hear the press outside the door. Begging for an interview or a scrap of information about them. About his family, thankfully the head master was dealing with it all. Lily was in the shower and he and Lavender watched the press making camp outside the school doors.
"They really are tenacious." Said John.
"It's their job." Said Lavender round a yawn. "But I don't like what they might come up with if we don't speak to them."
"Jack shit, that's what." Said John.
"have you thought about what McGonagall was saying earlier?" John nodded. They hadn't noticed that Lily had finished her shower and was listening in on the conversation.
"Do you think we should do it?" Her dad nodded.
"I think so. It's important for Lily, it's her safety at the end of the day." Said John.
"She might not like it though." Said Lavender. "But maybe in time. She might see why we've done it." Lily's blood went cold. They weren't going to take her away from here were they?
Her mother told her she and her dad where going to see Professor McGonagall. The thought made Lily sick to the bone. They were going to take her away, away from a place she belonged. When they left, she snuck out, it was hard considering all the press that where around, but, as if by fate, the minister for magic had turned up and that left Lily enough time to slip out towards the tree that overlooked the lake.
Lily sat down on the grass overlooking the lake. The warm orange sun kissed her exposed limbs. It really was a picturesque sight, the water was calm and reflecting with the little white diamonds in the water, just like the movies. She couldn't believe that she was going to be taken away from this place. She hugged her knees. Trying to imprint this canvas into her mind.
Because whatever she ended up doing, wherever she ended up. Nowhere would compare to here, nothing could ever come close. She hugged her knees again. Not wanting to let this feeling go. She sighed.
"Penny for your troubles." Lily looked up. Potter was walking towards her. He was still battered and bruised and his arm still in his sling. He smiled and sat next to her, leaving a gap between them.
"Aren't you supposed to be in the hospital wing?" asked Lily.
"I wanted some fresh air." Said Potter making himself comfortable.
"How did you even—oh never mind." She said, not really caring how he broke out. He was James Potter after all.
"So. Still a penny for your thoughts?" asked Potter.
"No." said Lily, "Just…taking in the scenery." She buried her mouth into her knees. "Who knows if I'm ever going to see it again."
"Not planning on coming back?" Asked Potter. Lily chuckled.
"I will if I have my way." Said Lily, "But it's not up to me." She looked up, she closed her eyes and let the sun light kiss her face.
"What would you go back to?" asked Potter. By the tone of his voice, he knew there was nothing going back to. He was right.
"Nothing compared to this." Admitted Lily after a pause. "I'll back with my tail between my legs. Laughed at by my sister and all the people I left behind."
"But I'm not so sure." James gave her a questioning look.
"Because…if I stay here I'll just be nobody…if I go back, I'll still be nobody." She shook her head. "I'll just be anybody." She said sadly.
"Not different, or unique, or special, just…ordinary…nobody." She said, "Just another face in the crowd."
"Evans." He said, "If you were accepted here, then you're not just anyone." Said James laughing.
"We are, some of the smartest and most talented people in the world. Contrary to what you believe, we are, different, unique, we are special." He sighed.
"And now listen to me Evans, because this is very important." Lily looked over at him. His face was stern, mature, something she had only seen a handful of times.
"As you now know, not all witches and wizards are good." Said Potter, Lily nodded. "There is something coming, and one day, you will have to make a choice about what type of witch you want to be." Explained James. He stood up, Lily thought he looked quite impressive
"And whoever you decided to become, good witch or bad."
"They're going to change the world."
"How do you know that?" asked Lily, curiosity getting the best of her. Potter smirked.
"You're like me." Said Potter. Lily blushed, though she could of blamed it on the sun.
"And I know that you'll make something of yourself if you keep trying to keep up with me." Lily smiled to herself. Maybe he would never get out of that cocky and arrogant nature. But he was good at what he did, even if it was bullying people.
"Thanks Potter." Said Lily, she stared out of over the water.
"You know what." She said quite suddenly. She stood up and looked at Potter.
"I don't want to leave." She said, "Because your right, I am somebody here." She walked towards him. "Do you know who I am round here?" James shook his head.
"I'm the person who's going to keep you on your toes Potter." She said nodding her head, "I'm going to make sure that you'll never be able to rest, knowing I'm on your heels the whole way."
"You can't catch me." Said Potter.
"Maybe not today." Said Lily, "But one day," she pointed at him, "I will be running alongside you. And then." She pointed off towards the castle.
"I will run past you." She said smiling. "And all you'll be able to do is watch." With that she marched off towards the castle.
"I wouldn't mind that so much." Said Potter, "Because behind you is a good view." Lily smirked to herself, she'd be mortified if he saw it. But flipped him off with her fingers by her bum as she marched off. If she was going to catch up with James Potter, she first needed to stay here first.
She marched through the corridors, her parents where in Professor McGonagall's office discussing whether she was going to stay. She knew now that she would. Nothing could stop her. She found the door and roughly barged it open. She saw all three adults turn to her.
"Lily!" Lavender hissed, "Wait outside!"
"No!" said Lily, "Because I know what I want. And I want to stay here."
"Lily!"
"I'm not done." She said forcefully, "Because I can be a somebody round here. And I'm sorry, but I won't be at home. And I can make a difference here, I will be great, I will have my name in the books because do you know why?"
"Lil-"
"That's right, my name is Lily Evans." She beamed proudly, "And I will be the best witch this school has ever seen." She turned back to her Parents.
"And I can't do that, if you take me out." Said Lily, "So. I'm staying." She turned round with a triumphant look on her face.
"Lily." Said Lavender quietly, "Where not taking you out." Lily suddenly felt very exposed, she had just barged in, ranted and raved about not leaving. A defiant stance, a line in the sand for her, only to find out that she was staying.
"Oh…" said Lily slowly. "But…you two said."
"Where having a catch up on your work." Said John, "Seeing how well you've done over the year."
"Oh…" said Lily again.
"She's so focused and driven in her anger." Said John, "Reminds me of you." He finished looking at Lavender who went beet red.
"John, really." She said.
"Uhm…Miss Evans, please wait outside while your parents and I finish this talk." Said McGonagall with a wry smile. Lily gulped and went outside.
Lily had felt embarrassed before, barging into her parent's room while they were meeting Professor McGonagall was up there. But being summoned to the headmaster's office was something she hadn't expected. The boy next to her did nothing to calm her nerves. Lily was sat nervously with her hands between her knees shaking. Potter on the other hand was lounged on the wooden bench, his good arm on the back of the bench and tapping his foot.
"Decided against leaving then." He said, trying to calm the nerves.
"Do you know why where here?" asked Lily.
Potter shrugged, "No, you?" Lily shook her head and rasped her fingers against her knees.
"Is it something about what happened last week?" asked Lily.
"I said, I don't know." Said Potter sighing. Lily could feel his gaze switch to her. "But it might be."
The door opened.
"You may come in." said Professor McGonagall. Lily rose first and went in first. Professor Dumbledore wasn't there, but there was another wizard. He was tall and dressed in a sharp white three piece suit. He had long grey hair which was in a black bow ponytail. His eyes like a hawks followed lily and Potter around the room as they sat down.
"Now you're not in any trouble." Said Professor McGonagall, Lily instantly relaxed. "This is my friends Professor Starlings." Said McGonagall. "He's a specialist young adult psychologist. We think that considering all that you two went through at the hands of Robert Murdoch. We think it would be beneficial if you were to have a couple of sessions with him?"
"Sessions?" said Potter. "Wait a minute." He pointed at Starlings and nodded.
"You're a psychologist, aren't you?" Starling's mouth twisted into a smile.
"My reputation presides me." He said.
"Don't flatter yourself." Said Potter dismissively.
"Potter, Cheek!"
"No, no Minerva." Said Starlings. "The boy has spirit. A…admirable trait."
"Professor, I've spent enough time seeing Psychologist's. I don't want to see anymore."
"That doesn't surprise me." Muttered Lily.
"Sorry. I'm out."
"You don't have a choice Potter." Said McGonagall, "Your parents gave their blessing."
"THEY WHAT!" said James angrily.
"You must have one session with Professor Starlings." Said McGonagall, "No exceptions Potter. Are you ok with that Miss Evans." Lily shuffled in her chair nervously.
"Whu…what do you want to know?" asked Lily.
"Just about your time at Hogwarts." Said Starlings, "Just see how you're getting on with life here. It must be a big culture shock to you. Considering that you are muggle born after all." Lily nodded.
"Evans, you cannot be serious." Said Potter exasperated.
"Hey, you might have no difficulty with fitting in." said Lily low and fierce, "But I do. Maybe this might help me, so gladly, back off!" They stared each other down.
"Fine." Said Potter, "But it will bite you in the arse one day."
"Enough you two!" said Professor McGonagall. Potter and Lily backed down from each other and Lily turned her back on him.
"So it's settled then." Said Starlings. "Miss Evans I will see you tomorrow at seven pm. And Mister Potter." Potter scowled at him.
"I will see you the day after at the same time." he said. "Now, have a nice evening."
"You two may go." Lily watched as Potter turned and went out quite forcefully went out. Lily looked over at Professor McGonagall.
"Did my Parents think this was a good idea?" asked Lily, "They don't think I'm…crazy. Do they?"
"No, no they don't." Said McGonagall, "They just feel that you might benefit from talking to someone." Lily nodded.
"Why was Potter upset?" she asked.
"James has his own demons." Said McGonagall. "Now run along." Lily nodded uneasily and made her way out. She caught up with Potter who was making his way back to the tower.
"What on earth was that?" she asked loudly walking up to him. She could hear that arrogant and cocky laugh in front of her as he turned round.
"What on earth was what?" he asked back.
"In there." Lily elaborated. "All they were trying to do was to help us and you go and act like a bloody know-it-all." James got up really close to her again. Just like he always did. An intimidation tactic.
"I've been there, done it and got the t-shirt." Said Potter, "I know what there like." He pointed to his temple.
"They try to get into your head you see." Said Potter, "They use your own thoughts against you."
"There trying to help us." James laughed and walked on towards the tower.
"I don't need help."
"Not my diagnosis." Shouted Lily after him.
"If I do." Said Potter. "It's not from them." Lily huffed and looked in the opposite direction as he walked away. What was it about him that kept her coming back again?
"A psychiatrist?" said Dorcas. "I…I don't follow?" Lily shrugged.
"I don't either." She said, confusion evident on her face. "But, my parents seem to think it will help me." Dorcas raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Isn't it a bit strange though?" asked Dorcas, "I've never heard of a Professor Starlings."
"Seems a bit creepy to me." Said Sarah. "How did James take it?"
"He thought it was stupid." Said Lily.
"For once I agree with him." said Sarah. Lily looked over at her quizzically.
"Why?" she asked.
"Lily, you're not mad." Said Dorcas, "So it begs the question…why do you need this?" Lily thought about it for a second, why did she need this.
"You may not have any problems fitting in here, but I do!"
That's what she said to Potter to justify her actions, and her willingness to do this, but also that her parents had recommended that she do it as well. And at the end of the day, they always knew what was best for her. They wouldn't of let her come here is that was the case.
"I don't know." Said Lily. "But I'll never know if I don't go." She finished rationally.
"That's true." Said Dorcas looking over at Sarah who nodded as well.
"But if he oversteps the mark. Tell him to stop." Said Sarah, "At the end of the day, your own mind is private."
"I know." Said Lily. "I just want to…you know, get this business with Murdoch out of my head."
"Of course." Said Sarah.
"And this also feels like a way of getting it out of the way." She said looking round the dorm. "I just want some normality now, for the time being."
"When has being here ever been normal?"
Lily made her way to professor McGonagall's office. She had been secretly dreading this since she had been told she had to do it. Why did her parents think she needed someone to talk to. It wasn't as if she could talk to her friends about what happened. Lily hadn't because she didn't think they'd understand, would this guy? This Professor Starlings. How much did he know about what happened.
Lily knocked on the door. It seemed to take a while before his voice allowed her entry into the room. As Lily walked in, she noticed that the desk wasn't there. Instead there were two chairs by the fire place. Professor Starlings was already sitting in one with a note book and showed her to sit in the seat opposite him. Lily smiled nervously and sat down in the chair which if she sat back more would consume her it was so squidgy.
"So." Starlings said grinning. "Lily Evans." He pulled out a file from the side of his chair that Lily hadn't noticed and started to flick through.
"As you know." Said Starlings, "I'm here for you to listen to you regarding any questions you might have over the whole incident with Robert Murdoch." Lily nodded.
"So, first off, I would like to gauge exactly how you were able to come into his…custody." Explained Starlings.
"Well…" began Lily, "Me and Potter where arguing over what happened to Severus Snape."
"Ah yes." said Starlings, "The boy who was found unconscious in the hallway. And, why where you arguing about it, might I ask?"
"Because Potter did It." said Lily, "He was the one who ambushed him."
"But your teachers said that the culprit hasn't been caught." Said Starlings matter-of-factly.
"Everyone knows Potter did It." said Lily, "That's why we were arguing, I was telling him that he should take responsibility."
"And…how did he take to that?" asked Starlings. Lily frowned. "Not too well?" Lily nodded.
"He then walked away." said Lily quietly.
"Interesting." Said Starlings quickly. "So, if he left the argument, why did you follow him?" asked Starlings. Lily bowed her head, she was almost embarrassed by the answer now she had time to think about it. Lily felt like she was being made to give away too much. She the thought about what Sarah had said to her about him overstepping his mark. He already knew that she followed him, what was there left to know. Maybe Potter was right about them twisting your words.
"Look." Said Lily, "I don't really want to…discuss that." She said. "You know I followed him, why stays with me." Starlings nodded.
"Very well." He said smiling, though Lily noticed a little hint of frustration in his voice at the outburst. "Ok, well then, can I ask you about when you were kidnapped?" Lily thought for a moment before nodding. Starlings smiled.
"Ok, so you followed Mr Potter into the woods." Said Starlings, writing down more notes. "And you carried on your argument?"
"Yes." nodded Lily.
"And…that's when you were ambushed?" he asked. Lily nodded and finally looked up at him.
"But how, you must have been outside of the grounds for that to happen?" said Starlings. He leaned back in his chair and rasped his fingers. Lily shuffled uneasily in her seat.
"I didn't realise we were that far out." Said Lily.
"And you followed him quite, willingly." Said Starlings. "Why?" Lily shuffled again, getting more and more uncomfortable by the moment.
"If I knew what was going to happen, I wouldn't have followed him." she said angrily. "It's almost as if you're saying it was my fault this happened. It wasn't, I was only taken along for the ride by someone who wanted revenge on Mr Potter." Starlings smiled, he nodded and then looked more curiously at Lily.
"Ok." He said, "So, when you were taken, what happened after that?"
"I was taken to a clearing with Potter and apparated somewhere." Said Lily. "Presumably that oil rig."
Starlings nodded. "Ok, did you ever see Mr Murdoch at all?"
"Yes." said Lily, "He asked his men who I was and why I was brought there."
"And these people, they knew who you where?" Lily shook her head. "Didn't they?"
"They thought that I was Isabel Parks." Said Lily. "A girl in my house. They thought that I was her." Starlings nodded.
"And…while you were in his custody, did you ever have any conversations with him, just, you and him." Lily frowned slightly as she tried to remember what had gone on while she was there.
"Yeah, he did talk to me in private." said Lily.
"How many times?"
"Just the once." Said Lily. "He'd just finished torturing Potter. He then asked to see me. Potter had already convinced him I was myself and not Isabel. He then led me into that room."
"What was his, demeanour like?" Asked Starlings. "Was he serious, playful?"
"Serious." Said Lily, "He was asking me about, me." Starlings now frowned and looked up at her.
"Ok, what did he ask?"
"He, he asked me about where I was from." Said Lily nervously, "He asked me about, my parentage." Starlings nodded some more. "And then, he then told me that something was coming." Starlings looked up again.
"What was coming?" he asked slowly, but seriously. Lily shook her head.
"He said that the balance of power is shifting." Said Lily. "He said that one day, more and more wizards and witches will hate me."
"Do you know why?"
"Because I'm muggle born." Said Lily, now looking down at the floor. "I…I have no wizarding relatives." Starlings nodded and then looked at her while holding his chin.
"He also said I'd find out who my friends where." Said Lily, "I told him he was wrong." Starlings nodded.
"Bravery." He said, "An admirable trait." Lily raised her head slowly.
"That's what he said." Said Lily.
"Now, tell me everything that happened while you were there."
Lily regaled him with the story of how Alec Potter came to her rescue, and then how she snuck back to the rig to help James, and then how they escaped after the fire had reached spread. After finishing, Starlings gently tapped the file with the pen he was using.
"That is an amazing story." Said Starlings looking back through his notes. "Not many people of your age could have got through that and lived to tell the tale."
"It was Potter mostly." Said Lily frowning. "Don't tell him this, but I don't think I would of made it out alive I it wasn't for them."
"I won't Miss Evans." Said Starlings. "But, after this, and Hogwarts and finding out that you are a witch in little under a year, it must be very stressful to have all this expectation on your shoulders."
Lily hadn't thought of that. In under a year, she had gone from Lily Evans Cokeworth, to Lily Evans Witch. And the things that had gone on in that time. She had bought her wand; she had gone to a boarding school where she was learning to use this magic. She was now a potions prodigy, potions, not chemistry, she had been to a Quidditch match. She had in the last few days taken on a wizarding fugitive. She was also reading about all sorts of legends that where now real.
But most of all, she had friends, she now had more friends that she had fingers. She now had a social circle. She had people that were just like her, witches. The thought should have scared her. If she had been told this, that a year from now she would be going on all these adventures. She would have thought the person telling her was crazy, but more than anything, she thought the notion of having more than five friends scary.
And that that's what this thought should be scary. But it wasn't, Lily found herself smiling and almost laughing at. That was one year. What where the next ninety going to bring her.
"No. It isn't stressful at all." Said Lily, "If anything, it's been the best year of my life so far." She nodded to herself.
"And even though there have been lows, the highs have always negated them." Starlings smiled.
"I'm glad to hear." he said, "More powerful witches have crumbled under expectation. However." He went serious once more.
"I would like you do something that could end up being beneficial to you in the future. Maybe not now, maybe not when you leave here. But one day it might help you."
"I don't know what you mean?" said Lily. Starlings paused and looked down, like he was trying to find the right words.
"While you've been here, have you felt that sometimes, you've wanted to talk to someone, that you have wanted to get a lot of things off your chest, but can't trust the people here enough to do that with." After a pause, Lily nodded.
"It's not that I don't trust them." said Lily, "It's just…sometimes…"
"I understand." Said Starlings. "That's why I'm recommending that you write a diary." Lily frowned.
"A diary." She said. Starlings nodded.
"Just for when you have problems." Said Starlings. "It will just help you but things in perspective. Lily nodded.
"But…I would very much like to meet with you again." said Starlings. "I think that maybe, you might benefit from a few more sessions."
"Really?" Starlings nodded again.
"That is of course if you want to?" said Starlings. "It won't be every week, just, as and when you feel you want to talk." Lily nodded.
"I might take you up on that." Said Lily.
"Well, it won't be till the start of next year." Said Starlings. "You are free to go." Lily stood up and walked over to the door. Before she walked out she looked back at Starlings who smiled kindly at her. She smiled to and walked out.
"So, how was it?" asked Sarah. Lily hadn't been back two minutes before she had been forced into a deep conversation with her girl-friends. At first, she thought it was stupidly girlish. But deep down, the euphoria was immense, it was what she always wanted.
"It was fine." Said Lily, "He just wanted to know what was happened to me."
"And that's It?" asked Dorcas. "Nothing weird?" Lily giggled.
"I'm not crazy Dorcas." Said Lily now getting changed. "They thought it would be beneficial for me to get some things of my chest." Lily nodded, satisfied with her answer and went off to the bathroom.
"Well I'm glad you're ok Lily." said Isabel. "We were all really worried about you." Lily looked back at the crowd of girls.
"You…you were worried about me?" she asked.
"Of course we were!" said Mary. "You got kidnapped by the darkest wizard for almost twenty years, why wouldn't be worried?"
"It's just…no, never mind." Said Lily. Lily walked out of the room to the bathroom.
"She's still a bit of a recluse." Said Marlene.
"Give her a break." Said Dorcas, "She's far from home in new surroundings from a town where she was bullied by everyone." She sighed. "Maybe she's just not that used to people other than her family worrying about her."
Lily made it back to her room. Everyone else was now in bed and she quietly slipped into her own bed. She lay back and stared up at the canopy above her, she then looked over at her bedside table, and then back at the canopy, then back to the bedside table. After some mental deliberation she pulled out an old notebook she had first packed and took the pen out of the binder.
"Lumos." Her wand lit up the small bed and she looked down at the book.
She sat up more and looked at the paper. What to write, where to start? When Lily thought about it, it wasn't very hard. The beginning.
My Name is Lily Evans, and I am a witch!