A Rosier by Any Other Name (Part 1)
A week later, Lily stood in front of the mirror in her dorm room, staring at her reflection. She was wearing a pair of green dress robes she'd gotten with Marlene ages ago. A year later, the robes were tight on her chest and hips, sitting firmly along the curves that Lily knew she had but hid in their uniform.
Midterm exams had just ended and they were due home the following week. She'd taken Pandora up on the offer of spending the holidays with her and her brother at the Lovegood family townhouse in London.
"You look grand," Alice said, appearing behind her in a set of glossy red robes. "Can I help with your hair?"
Lily smiled at her. She and Frank had taken up, Alice sometimes joining her and Frank for breakfasts. She nodded and her roommate stood behind her, hitting Lily's wavy, voluminous locks with a spell. Lily watched as her hair straightened into a longer sheath, reaching the curve of her breasts.
"You always had such lovely hair," Alice noted, touching a lock. "It's finally growing back."
"I suppose it is," Lily replied, rising to swipe makeup on. "Excited for another rousing Christmas party?"
Alice cracked a smile. The pair were due for Slughorn's annual Christmas party any minute now. In previous years, Lily had zealously gone, even taking Remus last year, given that Slughorn had never invited her ex. This year she was set to skip the entire event. However, in the past week, she'd been unable to successfully corner Elliot Rosier and knew that he'd be at the party from overhearing a conversation in Potions the day before.
"Hopefully it won't be as droll as last year," Alice replied, before flushing a bit. "My brothers were invited and I'm afraid to put them and poor Frank in the same room."
"I'm sure he'll handle himself grandly," Lily replied. The pair walked out, joining Frank in the common room.
"Do you have a date, Lily?" Alice asked as they walked out.
"Yes," Lily replied. "Pandora's coming with me."
Alice looked at her with shock and Lily laughed.
"As a friend," she added. They met up with Pandora in the entrance hall, Lily vocally admiring Pandora's bizarre and eclectic dress made with ginger roots, before heading to Slughorn's chambers where the party was held. Lily bit back a grimace at the many decorations up, dodging a spring of mistletoe.
"Oh, Lovely you've made it!" Slughorn chortled, bustling over to her. Lily could see Frank snickering as the older professor kept an arm over her shoulder, ignoring her friends. "There's so many here I want to introduce you to!"
Lily looked at Frank helplessly as she was guided away towards a group of older wizards. While Slughorn boasted about her to them, Lily saw Sirius's glossy curls from the corner of her eye. She looked over and watched as he, James, Cressida, and Mary were openly getting plastered, downing flutes of champagne.
After the small talk, Lily made an excuse, finding her friends at a table.
"I told you to stop him if he tried that," she said to Frank with a glower. He shrugged, distracted by the food on his plate.
"Slughorn's unstoppable," he replied through a mouthful of tart. "By the way, suspect number one is right there."
Lily was prepared to berate him, only to following his line of sight and see Elliot Rosier standing with Rabastian Lestrange near the fire.
"Excuse me," she said, rising and heading towards them. Before she could reach them, Lily heard the familiar sound of Marlene's laughter and turned. To her dismay, she'd mistaken Martin McKinnon's laugh for his sister's. Lily frowned, seeing that Martin was standing with Eliza Rosier. The pair were animatedly speaking with a wizard who was turned away from her.
The man stiffened, turning and locking eyes with her.
Lily stared at those hazel eyes, only a shade darker than James's.
She hadn't seen Caradoc Dearborn since last June, when Lily cornered him during his office hours, accusing him of killing Marlene. He'd denied it and she'd gone straight to Professor Dumbledore with evidence that his alibi for that night didn't stand. By the time aurors arrived to question Caradoc, Dante Mulciber beat them to the punch, turning himself in along with Marlene's wand which had gone missing.
Caradoc nodded cautiously at her but Lily couldn't return his gesture. She broke his gaze, shaking her head and turning her attention to where Elliot and Rabastian stood. She clapped both on the shoulder, smiling broadly at them.
"A Rosier by any other name is just as—"
"Sweet," Elliot finished, with a smirk. "What do we owe the pleasure."
"Fan of muggle literature?" Lily asked. He raised his hands in mock surrender.
"Had to read Shakespeare in muggle studies last year," he replied smoothly, bringing one hand to her waist. Lily stiffened under his intense gaze, noticing his canines flash out as his lips spread.
"Careful Eli," Rabastian warned. "This one's probably got a venus fly trap for a cunt."
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Lily purred back, toying with her wand. "Lestrange do be a dear and scram. Elliot and I need to have a word."
Rabastian practically snarled at her as Lily removed her arm from his shoulder.
"You've got a lot of nerve coming here," he sneered. "You dirty little mud-"
"Bas you've got some serious anger problems," Elliot interrupted before meeting her gaze. "I'd be more than happy to oblige Lovely Lily."
Lily ignored the mocking way he said her old nickname as he gestured for her to go forth. She felt people's gazes flicker to them when she walked out of Slughorn's office with Elliot at her back. Lily made eye contact with Eliza, nodding at the girl when she proceeded out of the door. She paused near a partially concealed alcove in the hall, turning to him.
"Elliot," she said.
"It's Eli," he purred back, leaning over her with one arm braced against the stone wall. His eyes trailed up her body, pausing at Lily's chest. "My my you've certainly dressed to impress."
"Tell me something," Lily said in return, keeping her eyes on his throat as he brought one hand to her hip. "Why would a wizard buy enough pregnancy tests and abortion potions to keep a brothel running?"
His breath hitched as he looked at Lily coolly.
"Got your hands on Severus's little logbook," he noted, retracting his hand from her waist. "I don't like to use contraceptive charms."
Lily wrinkled her nose and he chuckled.
"What's life without a little risk," he taunted. "I get them in case of any slip-ups."
Lily frowned up at him.
"It's funny you mention that," she returned. "Because Daphne Ollivander was rather eager to share details of what you're like in bed."
Elliot's face went pale.
"A fucking fantastic shag in her own words," Lily said in a mocking tone, repeating what the girl had revealed to her days ago. "And so chivalrous— even cast the contraceptive for her."
Elliot was silent.
"Now do you want to tell your sister that you've been the one blackmailing her or should I?"
"That's an extreme accusation," he said, leaning closer to her. "I have no bloody idea what you're going on about."
"Don't you?" Lily demanded. "Why else would your owl be the one dropping those little threats and vials for Eliza?"
She had Frank following the tracking spells she'd set on all the owls delivering Eliza's mail. To their shock, one of the owls had been a massive eagle owl that spent most of its time in the Hogwarts' Owlery. Upon further examination, including getting bitten by the owl, Frank had found a collar on it with the Rosier family crest embroidered into it.
Eli's nostrils flared and Lily nodded.
"How'd you even find out?" she pressed, curious considering the extensive measures Eliza was taken to hide the pregnancy. Elliot laughed bitterly.
"I was in the hospital wing about a month ago," he admitted. "For a cold…Madame Pomfrey left out some files on her desk and I was bored, thought it'd be fun to take a look. Imagine my shock when I found my sister's medical file and a note that she was through her first trimester."
"You know it's highly illegal to look in other people's medical files," Lily said evenly. He smirked at her.
"You know I saw Marlene McKinnon's file somewhere in that stack," he drawled, watching Lily's eyes widened.
Lily glared at him, biting back a snarl before asking, "Do you seriously get off on threatening your pregnant sister?"
"Don't say another fucking word," he spat. "You have no bloody idea what she's done! The second anyone of importance finds out, her entire reputation and my family's goes down the gutter."
"Your sister is terrified and alone," Lily said. "You've known for weeks and never tried to help her?"
"She needs to get rid of that thing," he hissed. "It's going to ruin my family's image! It's bad enough half of Slytherin knows that Evan's gay, throw in a whore sister and that's it for the Rosiers!"
"So you blackmailed your sister for the archaic purpose of family reputation," Lily scoffed. "Rather hypocritical and shallow if you ask me."
"Luckily no one's asked for your opinion," Elliot said, bringing his wand out. "And by the time I'm through obliviating you, you won't have much of one left."
Lily beat him to the punch, bringing her knee up before Elliot could say anything. He fell over, clutching his crotch, and cursed as Lily stumbled back.
"You little bitch," he spat, standing shakily. "You're going to regret that."
"No, she's not."
Lily turned to see Eliza coming out from the shadows by the alcove, holding her wand out towards her brother. Eliza disarmed him, moving past Lily with her wand up.
"So the slag herself comes out," Elliot greeted. "Cat's out of the bag sister dearest."
Lily could see Eliza's hand shaking and took her own wand out.
"Why would you do this?" Eliza demanded, bringing her free hand to her abdomen. "How could you be so cruel?"
"How could you be so stupid?" he answered. "That thing is going to be a bastard. You need to take an abortion potion."
"I don't need to do anything," Eliza argued. "I'm keeping my baby."
"And how do you think mum and dad will take to that?" he mocked. "They'll disown you."
"I know," Eliza said softly. "Which is why I'm leaving."
"Who's the father?" Elliot demanded, rising with anger in his eyes. "Or do you not know? Busy whoring off all summer were you?"
Lily scoffed.
"For someone who takes pride in being called Slytherin's broomstick you've got an awful sense of hypocrisy," Lily noted.
"This is family business. Get out, you mad bitch," he ordered. Lily looked over at Eliza, noticing that the girl's hand was still shaking.
"I think I'll stay," she returned. "At least until we escort you to Slughorn and you're expelled."
"That's not necessary," Eliza said, lowering her wand. "This has been a massive misunderstanding."
Before Lily could question her, she heard someone call Eliza's name and watched as Caradoc Dearborn emerged from the direction of Slughorn's office.
"What's going on?" he asked, standing close to Eliza. Lily looked between the pair, watching Eliza squeeze his hand. Lily's eyes widened when she caught sight of the ring Eliza was wearing.
"Lily was just helping me tell Eli the good news," Eliza explained. "We're engaged."
Lily's mouth fell open and she desperately wished Frank were there to witness the circus that was unfolding in front of them.
"What?" Elliot sputtered, looking at Eliza and Caradoc with the same shock on Lily's face. "What are you on about?"
"Doc and I have been seeing each other for quite a bit," Eliza elaborated, leaning into the older man. "All summer and, well one thing led to the next and, then I found out I was pregnant."
"And I immediately proposed," Caradoc added. "Eliza wanted to finish out this term before leaving."
"Was this going on last year?" Elliot demanded, his face turning red. "While he was a teacher?"
Eliza and Caradoc looked abashed and Lily inhaled sharply.
"That's why your alibi for the night Marlene died didn't hold," she realized, giving Caradoc a reassessing look. "You were with Eliza that night and couldn't risk exposing your relationship with a student."
"It would have been bad for Doc," Eliza added, giving Lily a pointed look.
She was silent as Eliza smiled up at Caradoc.
"We're leaving for France," she explained. "Doc's been offered a position with the French aurors and I'll have the baby there to avoid any scandal."
"Well that's just grand," Elliot sneered. "Once people find out you'll still ruin the family reputation!"
Lily watched as Eliza moved forward, enveloping her brother in a hug.
"I won't be a Rosier for much longer," she said, letting go. "Except for Evan, the rest of you lot are some of the coldest and cruelest people I've known."
She let go of her brother, returning to Caradoc and Elliot slammed his foot into the ground.
"This is fucking ridiculous," he snapped.
"Now you're just making a scene," Lily said tauntingly before jutting her head towards the direction of Slughorn's office where the sound of voices was getting louder. "Why don't we call it a night before everybody coming out of that party gets to listen in on this?"
Elliot sneered at her, ducking past them as he stomped down the hall. Lily looked to Eliza and Caradoc, meeting Caradoc's gaze apologetically.
"I suppose I owe you an apology," she admitted wryly. He chuckled in response, moving to her and raising his hand.
"The past is in the past," Caradoc said, giving her a slight smile. "You know my uncle used to say something: Question everything. Learn something. Answer nothing."
Lily raised a brow as she shook his hand.
"I think Euripides is the one that coined that," she replied with a smile. Before Caradoc could answer, Lily heard the sound of laughter and watched Sirius and James stagger into the hall.
"Doc," James slurred in greeting before his eyes narrowed at the sight of her. "She bothering you?"
"No," Caradoc said with amusement in his voice. "Lily and I were just letting bygones be bygones."
James looked confused and Lily let out an oomph as Sirius grabbed her, throwing her into his arms.
"Lovely we've missed you!" he shouted, swinging her around. "Not as much as Moony of-"
"Padfoot stop," James warned, bringing his hand to Sirius's shoulder. "You'll hurt her."
Lily bit back a smile as Sirius dropped her, stumbling from the dizziness. She felt James's hand at her back, balancing her, but immediately pulled out.
"I'm fine," she insisted, looking at them. "You two clearly aren't."
Before James could protest, Sirius let out a hiccup, vomiting on the ground. Eliza made a disgusted noise and Lily sighed, vanishing the mess.
"I should get these two up to Gryffindor Tower," she said to Caradoc and Eliza.
"Thanks for everything Lily," Eliza said.
"What are you going to do now?"
"Leave," Eliza declared, her lips spreading into the warmest smile Lily had ever seen the girl wear. "Leave and never come back here."
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous," Lily replied, saying goodbye to the pair and guiding Sirius and James up. Shepherding the drunk boys turned out to be more work than Lily recalled. While Sirius danced through the halls, caroling at the top of his lungs, Lily found herself more alarmed by James who was balancing himself on her.
"You have nice hair," he said, running his fingers into a lock. "It's long again."
"Thanks," Lily managed, letting out a shaky breath as his hand remained on her back. She could smell James's scent, a distinctly woodsy, warm one that she associated with memories of times she had nearly forgotten. "Sirius stop screaming you'll wake the whole castle."
Sirius ignored her and Lily sighed, hitting him with a silencing spell. He didn't seem to notice, continuing to silently belt out Celestina Warback ballads.
"It's just like old times," James said, his words loose and sliding into each other. Lily felt him squeeze her shoulder. "I hated those times."
"Yeah yeah," she muttered. "I get it— I'm an annoying bitch and you never liked me."
James made a noise of frustration, stopping them, and turning Lily to face him. She was immediately captivated, the soft moonlight catching James's face perfectly. She'd always found his face attractive, with his welcoming eyes, defined jaw, and slightly dimpled smile.
"That's not what I meant," he insisted, holding her gaze intently. Lily nodded at him but looked away when she heard a loud shout.
"Sirius," she called, breaking from James's grip to see that Sirius was in the process of attempting to remove a portrait of Rowena Ravenclaw from the wall. "Put that painting down immediately!"
"You're such a godsend," Madame Pomfrey said, as she finished healing the last student in the hospital wing. "Always so helpful Miss Evans."
Lily smiled at the healer from her desk where she was sorting healing supplies. It was the day before all the students were due to leave for Christmas break and she'd volunteered to help the healer with some of her duties, having a clear Saturday of no classes.
"I can close up," Lily offered. "I've seen you do it plenty of times and you deserve a break."
"You're too kind," Madame Pomfrey answered, shuttering some of the beds. "I'm not really supposed to leave students alone here."
"I'll be out in a tiff," Lily replied eagerly. "Just have to finish these and get the lights. Besides I heard they're serving toad in a hole tonight!"
The healer let out a noise of joy and Lily smiled, thankful that she remembered Madame Pomfrey's fondness for the dish.
"I might have to take you up on that offer," Madame Pomfrey said, eyeing the door.
"I'll be out minutes after you," Lily assured. "Won't touch anything but these supplies."
"I'll be back in thirty minutes," Pomfrey said, heading off. Lily watched her go, waiting until the door to the hospital wing door clicked shut before she careened from her seat and bounded over to the cabinet of files. After attempting a few unsuccessful unlocking charms, Lily frowned at it, recalling the transfiguration spell James had demonstrated for her. She tried it and watched as the cabinets swung open.
She scanned through them alphabetically, pausing at the "M"s before reaching inside and pulling Marlene's file out. Lily set out, quickly making a copy of it and placing it back inside before shutting the cabinets. She moved to the desk, peeling it open.
Listed were a series of quidditch incidents that had brought Marlene into the hospital wing over the course of the years. Lily hadn't found anything unusual, chuckling as she read a healer's note about a possible sex injury involving Marlene and Sirius last year. She finally reached the end, frowning when she turned the last page and found a final note scrawled on the back.
Lily's eyes widened at the note, written in Madame Hexema's cursive. It was dated to last May, a week before Marlene died.
Patient reporting signs of pregnancy; nausea, loss of appetite, and tender breasts. Took illicit pregnancy test days ago and tested positive. Administered a second test potion with a positive result.
"Merlin," Lily gasped, rereading the note over and over.
Marlene had been pregnant.
Lily shakily rose, turning the lights off and leaving the hospital wing. She stumbled out, collapsing into a seated-alcove jutting out of a nearby staircase. Her best friend had been pregnant last May and Lily hadn't even noticed.
Lily frowned, pressing her forehead into the cool glass of the window as she recalled those final weeks with Marlene. She hadn't noticed Marlene having any of the symptoms, except once…
Lily was idly sitting at her desk, having put the final touches on the written part of her Charms OWL exam over twenty minutes ago. She was an ace at the subject, excelling compared to most. Lily glanced around the room, noticing that Sirius and James were done as well and seemed to be playing some type of game with a piece of paper one of them had enchanted.
Lily heard the scrape of a chair on the ground and looked to her side, watching as Marlene rose with her mouth over her hand, sprinting from the room. Lily frowned and knew others were watching.
"Time's up!"
After her exam booklet was collected, Lily headed out of the room, going to the bathroom and walking down the line of stalls until she stopped at the only closed one.
"Mars are you in there?"
Her question was met with the sound of vomiting. Lily waited outside for a few more minutes before Marlene emerged, wiping her mouth and going to the sink.
"You okay?"
Marlene gargled some water before splashing more on her face.
"Grand," she replied. Lily gave her a pointed look.
"Were you drinking with the Marauders the night before an OWL?" she questioned. Marlene gave her a smug smile before laughing.
"Live a little Lily," she said with a wink as the two walked back outside for the practicum part of the exam.
Marlene never threw up, not even when she was belligerently hungover. That day had been the first time Lily saw her friend profusely ill. Lily frowned, realizing that Marlene had been keeping many secrets from her.
A pregnancy would explain why Marlene requested a leave of absence for their sixth year and had told Lily some excuse about spending the summer on a highland retreat with a distant relative.
Her frown deepened as another question came to her: who was the father?
By that point in their sixth year, Marlene and Sirius had been broken up for nearly months, their relationship in demise following Lily and Remus's break up. Marlene had been sleeping around, returning to their dorm at all hours in the night. Marlene had even mentioned to Lily that she'd been seeing people on the weekends when she went home occasionally to help with her sister Martha's wedding preparations last spring.
The father of Marlene's unborn child could have been anyone.
"Lily?"
She turned her head, craning her head up to meet James's gaze. He was dressed in his Quidditch robes, cheeks slightly pink and hair more askew than usual as he looked at her. He dropped his bag on the ground, tearing a hand through his hair.
"Potter," she greeted, watching his face wrinkle into a look of displeasure.
"Wish you wouldn't call me that," he said gruffly. "It's James."
Lily blinked at him, unsure how to respond and he looked at her, holding her eyes intensely.
"I get it," he sighed, plunking down next to her. "We used to be friends."
"You're rather hung up on that," Lily noted. He leaned back, his head tilted up. She drank in the sight of James, his muscles relaxing as he closed his eyes and swallowed.
"Last year," he said suddenly. "Why did you go after Doc?"
Lily quirked her head at him in surprise.
"His alibi didn't add up," Lily supplied. "I suppose now we know why with him and Eliza…"
"He loved Marlene," James said in a soft voice. "She loved him— Why did you have to go after someone she loved?"
"Because I loved Marlene," Lily answered immediately, her voice becoming fierce. "I loved her too much to do nothing."
James cracked open an eye, bringing his face up so they were holding each other's eyes.
"I loved her too much to do anything," he said with a bitter laugh. "That doesn't explain why you had to ruin his reputation when he was grieving too."
"I was a wreck," Lily exclaimed. "My best friend died and all of you abandoned me after those photos came out. I lost all of my friends in two weeks and I felt so alone and the only thing that kept me going was trying to figure out the truth!"
She didn't add that it was still the main reason she got out of bed in the morning.
James was silent, his gaze flickering over her face. Lily held his gaze stubbornly. Before she could react, he leaned forward, kissing her cheek.
"I'm sorry," James whispered, his mouth hovering by her cheek. "I'm sorry for my part in all of it."
Lily swallowed, holding his gaze as James leaned closer, his breath warm against her lips.
Lily's heart pounded in her chest and she felt her cheeks flush as James moved forward, capturing her lips between his own. It was a chaste kiss and James moved to pull away but Lily leaned into him, deepening the kiss.
She felt almost drunk, engulfed in James's scent and in the sweet taste of his lips. Lily's hands came to him, resting on his firm chest as James moved closer, bringing one hand to her jaw, cradling her face as he returned the kiss passionately.
She was kissing James Potter in a window seat alcove.
A year ago, Lily thought that he couldn't stand her, James unable to say anything but small talk to her and avoiding her gaze.
But now his other hand came to her hair, knotting into her locks while he changed the angle of the kiss, bringing his tongue to her mouth.
It was almost comical and a soft laugh escaped Lily's mouth when her lips quirked up out of her control into a smile. James broke the kiss, taking soft breaths in as he held her gaze.
"So now what?"
AN: Happy Holidays! Loved reading all the reviews. Writing sassy and witty Lily is such a thrill and I'm having fun slowly unraveling the lives of those around her through her cynical lens. Hoping to get the first of the three Christmas break chapters out tonight. Please continue to share your theories and ideas!
Next Chapter: The Christmas Punch (Part 1)
R&R