Author's note: As promised, the second new chapter. This one will be from Lily's point of view and the next few chapters will focus on the girls' Christmas holidays. I own only my OCs and plot - enjoy!

Chapter 8

Lily shivered as she made her way to the library, it was almost Christmas and the students of Hogwarts would be heading home for the holiday period in a matter of days. There was a chill in the air as Lily pulled her robes tighter round her chest, wand in her right hand, poised for any unexpected surprises that may befall her. Potter and his idiotic friends were always hovering about waiting to pull some stunt, especially in the lead up to Christmas, and their last week in school had been no exception. They'd already managed to explode Severus' fourth caldron of the term in Potions, never mind breaking into the Ravenclaw common room and redecorating with red and gold wallpaper. Today they had succeeded in enchanting a suit of armour from the fourth floor to follow the caretaker, Argus Filch, singing 'God Rest Ye, Merry Hippogriffs'.

However, it was more than just her fellow Gryffindors, annoying as they were, that had Lily alert. Although Lily reassured her friends, she was still very conscious of moving around the castle as a muggleborn on her own - she'd never been attacked directly, but there was always a first time for everything. She didn't want to admit it, but the incident with Allegra had shaken her more than she would ever admit.

''Lo Lily,' yawned Nora Henson as Lily sat her school bag down on the empty chair beside her.

'Hello Nora. Finan,' Lily responded, nodding her head to the boy sitting opposite her, almost slumped over his textbooks. He grunted an acknowledgment.

Lily, Nora and Finan were the only three fourth year Gryffindor muggleborns and had come across each other quite by accident. Nora and Lily had been paired up for a Herbology homework in first year, and in hurrying to the library as eager students, they had found a flailing Finan up against three Slytherin first years. Wands were drawn - not that any of them could muster up much having only been in school three weeks - and the Slytherins retreated. There was a silent agreement from then on between the three Gryffindors, they usually met up a few times a month in the library for schoolwork. Although they each had differing friendship circles - and Finan gave of an air of not wanting to be there - Lily suspected that, like her, he found some amount of solace with the two muggleborns.

'Thompson's having a moment,' Nora rolled her eyes and Lily stifled a snort.

'Whenever is he not?' she replied evenly.

'Why did I chose Divination? It's absolute pish. All this eye of the beholder stuff,' grunted Finan.

'Eye of the beholder is a saying Finan,' Nora said pointedly.

Finan merely shrugged his shoulders.

Their little sessions usually went much like this. Lily and Nora would work through schoolwork, with Finan occasionally pitching in, and exchanging whatever gossip the other might have heard. Finan was surly and often quiet, but this didn't bother Lily, his dislike of pure bloods was palpable and Lily put this down to not only being a muggleborn, but being raised in a single parent household in a council estate where his mother worked two jobs to support him and his brother, Taylor, who was two years older and had not shown any signs of magic. There was no love lost between the brothers, and Lily felt a strange kinship with Finan.

'I've started my dream diary, if you want to go over it?' Lily offered kindly.

'You're happy enough to share you dreams?' Finan asked sceptically.

'I made them up,' Lily said matter of fact. 'Professor Chiara just loves it if you've got a bit of drama.'

'Alright, what have you said then?'

'A week ago I was walking down the road to Hogsmeade when I was mugged, then suddenly I turned into a centaur and charged the muggers. They died.' Lily finished.

Both Nora and Finan were staring at Lily as if she'd grown a second head before bursting into laughter.

'Shhh!' Madam Pince said viciously from her desk.

'Well I wasn't expecting that,' Nora said through stifled laughter, 'tell us another.'

'Last night I was strangled by my bed hangings. Allegra had to save me whilst Marlene cried and threatened to jump out of Gryffindor tower.'

'You seem to be having a lot of near death experiences here Evans,' Finan snorted.

It was Lily's turn to shrug her shoulders. 'It's a dream, you could make up literally anything.'

'Why not make up something nice for yourself then?' asked Nora, still chuckling slightly.

'Because that would be boring,' Lily replied lightly. 'Obviously don't copy me Finan, but it's not as hard as it seems. Just say something like "mars was in retrograde and I dreamt I was hit by a bludger watching Quidditch" - easy.'

Finan was eyeing Lily shrewdly, before pulling out a quill from his robes and began jotting down dreams. 'Alright so, I dreamt I was being force fed porridge because Jupiter was in the seventh house?'

Lily giggled.

'Oooo how about you were attacked by a group of angry bowtruckles?' Nora was now joining in on the act enthusiastically.

'I like that,' grinned Finan, continuing to note down dreams.

The three continued on like this for the next hour, Finan's dreams got steadily more dramatic, before they called it a night and left to head back to Gryffindor tower, still laughing over their made up dreams.

/

'Lil, do you know where my pink hairbrush is?' Phoebe's muffled voice came from under Lily's bed, her upper body completely concealed.

'Didn't you have it in the shower?' Marlene responded from the other side of the room, counting up the pairs of socks packed in her trunk. '14,15.. damn I'm still a pair short,' she muttered, looking around her bed.

'Oh yes..' mumbled Phoebe under her breath, crawling out from the floor and making her way to their shared bathroom.

Allegra, meanwhile, had her hair tied up, look of concentration on her face as she attempted to fit shoes into her trunk.

'Damn, c'mon, c'moooon,' Allegra grumbled.

Lily shook her head and smiled as she packed her own trunk. The night before they left for Christmas was always the same - Phoebe losing something, Marlene overestimating how many items of clothing she'd need for two weeks and Allegra always struggling with packing either shoes or books. Lily was last tram, and always managed to leave at least one thing back in her dorm that she needed.

'Oi, you lot haven't seen my copy of A History of Magic, have you?' Amalia asked, holding three different textbooks in her hands.

'Check your schoolbag Amalia,' Nora replied in a bored voice. She alone seemed to resist the last minute rush every year, and was lounging on her bed flicking through a copy of Vogue, trunk packed and ready.

Three hours, and a few scares later, the six Gryffindor girls had changed into their pyjamas, snacking on pepper imps and acid pops, playing a game of would you rather? whilst Phoebe's gramophone played quietly in the background.

'Oh yes it's Christmas,

It comes once a year,

As one, as one,

A family we are,

Stir your caldron, and charm your gifts..' The dulcet tones of Gianni Giancome warbled.

'Right McKinnon. Would you rather spend a full day with Professor Binns, on your own, listening to him drone on about Goblin Wars, or, snog Roger Pritchard?' Amalia asked, mouth full of chewed pepper imp.

'Easy. Binns,' Marlene shrugged.

'That was quick,' quipped Phoebe.

'Well Binns is only one day. I'd be stuck with that Slytherin stain on my lips for the rest of my life.'

The rest of the girls laughed.

'Amalia, an hour sitting beside Richard Robbins, or an hour listening to Holly Hopkirk discuss Gobstones?' Allegra snorted.

'Ooooo. Hmm that's a tough one,' Amalia wrinkled her brow. 'I'll go Robbins, I'm pretty sure there's a handy charm that would get rid of my ability to smell things for an hour.'

The others chortled.

Lily always enjoyed these last nights, over the years Amalia and Nora had opened up more and joined in on their conversations and teasing. Lily understood their reticence. Marlene was confident and chatty - they always joked she could make conversation with a flobberworm.

Phoebe, although not as loud as Marlene, was eloquent - definitely the most refined of the group. With her caramel coloured skin and blonde curls, matched with an ability to out argue anyone without raising her voice and a goofy side only her friends saw, she had a cool air of authority and a quiet confidence.

Allegra, on the other hand, was intelligent with a sharp wit, and well liked by almost everyone because she could make them laugh and she was one of the few people that James Potter would listen to. Allegra was never the loudest, but she had people's respect, especially after a mock duel last year in Defence Against the Dark Arts class, where she outlasted everyone in the year, save Sirius Black, who had just defeated her. On top of that, Lily knew if she ever needed anyone, Allegra would be there, no questions asked, her loyalty knew no bounds. Lily loved her friends, but she could also see how they could be intimidating, she was just glad the invisible barrier that had been formed between them and the other two Gryffindors was eroding, bit by bit.

'Oi Evans, didn't you hear me? Change the record!' Marlene threw a pair of socks at Lily's head, rustling her from her thoughts.

'I like this one,' pouted Phoebe, massaging oil through her hair.

'You'd like anything Gianni Giancome sang, Phoebe,' joked Nora.

'Another would you rather? Allegra, you haven't been yet.' Phoebe said a little too hastily, trying to change the subject.

'Hit me,' drawled Allegra - hands behind her head, fingers interlocked - Lily was reminded fleetingly of Sirius Black.

'Would you rather snog James Potter or Sirius Black?' asked Phoebe, now tying her curls into a satin scarf.

'Ew, neither,' Allegra made a face.

'You have to choose one!' Phoebe replied in a sing sing voice.

'Can we please not include James? It would be like asking me to snog my cousin.'

'That's not unheard of in some pure blood circles,' Amalia mused. Allegra shot her a dirty look.

'Fine, Fine. Anil then,' countered Phoebe.

Allegra paused, before answering, 'Anil.'

Marlene chocked on the pumpkin juice she was drinking, Phoebe's eyes went wide and both Amalia and Nora responded, 'no way,' in unison.

'I mean, Anil is handsome, in a sweet kind of way. But he's no Black,' Nora's eyebrow was raised.

'Exactly,' stated Allegra.

'Even I have to admit Sirius is quite a dish,' Lily said evenly.

'Quite a dish?' Marlene snorted, Lily ignored her.

Allegra shrugged her shoulders.

'Black is an ignorant toerag and an arrogant berk. Not interested.' She said finally.

Almost every girl in their year, the year above, and the years below had been struck down by what Allegra and Lily had coined, The Black Plague. Even Phoebe and Marlene had been susceptible to his charms, succumbing to crushes in second and third year respectively. Lily saw the attraction, and even harboured a three day crush on him in first year - not that she'd ever told anyone - however, Allegra alone seemed to be the only person immune to Black.

Marlene shook her head but refrained from saying anything.

'Is there anyone you do like Allegra?' Nora asked, rather boldly Lily thought.

Allegra shrugged her shoulders again. 'Haven't really thought about it, why do you ask?'

'Well,' Nora swallowed, 'it's just, you've never spoken about it, I think everyone else has at least fancied someone,' she finished, her voice quivering slightly.

Allegra raised an eyebrow and looked piercingly at Nora. Again Lily was presented with how others reacted to her friends, Allegra could be awfully haughty without even realising. However, when she replied there was no malice in her tone.

'I suppose I haven't found anyone worth fancying, I've been rather preoccupied trying not be murdered on the Quidditch pitch by a bunch of Slytherins,' Lily was relieved to hear the warmth in Allegra's voice.

'Touché,' grinned Nora.

'Right, enough about boys. Allegra, tell us how you're going to beat the Hufflepuffs in the next match?' Marlene had grabbed a packet of Bertie Botts and was staring avidly at her friend.

Allegra laughed loudly as their chatter turned to the Quidditch cup.

/

Lily was exhausted by the time she got home from King's Cross Station, she had fallen flat on her back onto her bed, didn't even attempt to start unpacking her trunk as her parents started on an early dinner downstairs.

Lily was woken, a few hours later by a soft knock on her door, her mother appeared as the door creaked open, a small smile on her face when she realised Lily was awake.

Claire Evans had blonde hair the same shade as her eldest daughter, Petunia, and green eyes the exact same shape and colour as Lily's. Her kind eyes were matched by her kind smile, the same smile that had reassured Lily on countless occasions.

'Where's Petunia?' Lily asked sleepily.

'She's staying at a friend's house tonight, so it'll just be the three of us for dinner,' Claire sat down on Lily's bed, brushing a small, pale hand through her daughter's hair.

'How are you sweetheart? Seriously? I know the strain of this year has taken up much of your time,' Claire's voice was soft, and not the least bit accusatory, even though Lily felt a shot of guilt at not having written her parents as often as usual.

'It has been stressful, more than I thought it would be,' Lily sighed. She had no desire to worry her mother further by telling her the fears she had about the worsening conditions for muggleborns in the wizarding world.

'Is that all?' Claire questioned gently.

Lily nodded her head and gave her mother a hug. 'I've missed you mum, sorry I haven't written more often.'

'Don't be silly sweetheart, your father and I know how busy you are.' Claire smiled as she continued stroking Lily's hair. 'Petunia has missed you.'

'I doubt it,' Lily said tightly.

Claire kissed the top of her daughter's head and got up from the bed, cupping Lily's cheek. 'Dinner will be ready in ten minutes, perhaps you can give your father and I a rundown of your year properly, seeing as it will be just us,' her eyes twinkled and Lily grinned.

After three and a half years in the magical world, Lily had eventually gotten used to Petunia's stoney silences and sneers, although she still felt a pang of pain whenever her sister threw a particularly disgusted look her way. As always, the first few days of the holiday were slightly strained as Lily and Petunia got used to sharing the same house again, however, by the time Christmas Day came around, Lily was so excited she had even been able to ignore her disgruntled sister.

Mark Evans parents had died in a car crash when he was nineteen. As a result, he and his brother Clive shared a close relationship and rotated hosting Christmas Day, this year it was the turn of Lily's father, Mark. They were joined by her grandmother, Rosa Hewitt and great Aunt Violet, who was half deaf and blind, but always brought plenty of sweets and booze and got on famously with Uncle Clive. Lily's maternal grandfather, Patrick, had died when she was just five. She didn't remember much about him, except for his warm smile and the fact her mother had been devastated by his death.

'Pass the sprouts Lily dear,' Violet shouted from the top of the table.

'Petunia has the sprouts Auntie Violet,' Lily replied.

'Oh yes of course, not a ginger,' Violet nodded.

'I'm a redhead!' Lily feigned annoyance.

'Same thing,' grunted Violet loudly.

Lily caught her father's eye over the peas and they both grinned.

Dinner was just as fun as ever, Uncle Clive and Auntie Violet were singing rather badly to a Christmas number on Top of the Pops whilst her mother and grandmother were arguing over some muggle politician.

'..at least Wilson actually seems to be interested in doing something for people mum..'

'..I'm not saying he isn't dear..'

Petunia was sitting in front of the TV, playing a game of patience with new cards she'd received that morning.

'Lils, some help with the cheese?' Mark asked as Lily finished the last of her tea. She smiled and nodded.

'What is this anyway?' Lily asked as she lifted a board out from the cupboard and her father unpackaged different variations of cheese.

'Cheeseboard, your mother's idea - don't ask,' Mark and Lily grinned at each other.

The family had returned to the table and were finishing off the last of the cheeses, a lull in conversation. Auntie Violet was snoring quietly.

'How's school Lily?' Uncle Clive hiccuped, his eyes barely focused on his niece.

Lily glanced imperceptibly as Petunia, whose lips had tightened.

'Good Uncle Clive, although stressful,' Lily smiled tightly, hoping to get off the subject as soon as possible. Her mother and grandmother were busy in the kitchen and her father's head was lolling, almost falling asleep himself.

Uncle Clive nodded sagely, glass of whiskey resting against the side of his head.

'O-Levels and all that,' Uncle Clive grumbled.

Lily nodded, hoping this would suffice.

'As if you even know what they are,' sneered Petunia, 'I doubt that place they call a school even have qualifications. A bit of hocus pocus and it's called an education,' Petunia continued under her breath.

Uncle Clive was now watching TV and her father had finally succumbed to sleep.

'A school of freaks. You'll leave with nothing, although I'm sure darling daddy and mummy will still welcome you with open arms, but even they'll get tired of you. And you'll be nothing.' Petunia's eyes were narrowed, her voice full of poison.

Tears pooled in Lily's eyes, her sister had never spoken so viciously to her, she felt sick.

'You truly are gone to me then,' Lily's voice quivered, barely above a whisper.

Petunia's eyes widened, her mouth slightly agape before she collected herself.

Lily caught the slight whiff of sherry, she got up from the table - she couldn't stay in this room or this house right now, she was stifled. She knew her sister wouldn't have said those things if she'd have been sober, but that didn't lessen the hurt.

'Lily, where are you -' Claire started, before catching Lily's eyes, who glanced at Petunia.

'Out for a walk,' Lily replied to her mother's unfinished question coldly.

Lily almost ran from the living room, grabbed the new coat she'd received as a present from her grandmother and bolted out of the house, into the night.