AN: IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE, PLEASE READ

Hello, readers old and new! Welcome to the new and improved version of Him and Her, as revised in 2020, a whole seven years after it was first published. The entire story is dedicated to The Oblivious Nerd, whose tireless friendship and encouragement is a huge reason I haven't just totally abandoned this story. B, I hope you enjoy.

The other reason, of course, is that being in lockdown means I suddenly have literally MONTHS of time on my hands. I know I have a lot of readers who've liked this story, and I hope it brings you a little bit of happiness in these wildly horrible times. I want to thank each and every reviewer over the years who's asked me to update; I'm grateful there are people who still think about this fic.

What's Changed?

The substance of many chapters will remain the same, but I would recommend reading each chapter again. I've removed typos and all the cringeworthy bits of bad writing I've spotted. Alice McKinnon is now Marlene, as she is in canon. Some major plot points have also changed - hopefully for the better. This story however was, and remains, a DARK Jily romance with a James who's amoral in many ways, and a Lily who's morally ambiguous. There will be mentions (perhaps even descriptions) of noncon, dubcon, and violence. Please don't read if that would offend you.

My Plan

I intend to post a 'new' edited chapter every 1-2 days until I'm caught up to where I was in 2016, which is the last time I updated. After that I will write more chapters. This story will be balanced with my Dramione WIP The Liar's Kiss, but it will hopefully be finished this summer (if not earlier).

Please do review and let me know what you think. This is the first story I ever wrote, and it means a lot to me. I'm nervous to be changing things up, but I really hope it works out for everyone!


Prologue: O Brave New World

September 1971

With a long-suffering expression, Delilah Black allowed her older sister Andromeda to kiss her on the forehead.

"Andy!" she protested, wriggling out of her hold. "Stop it!"

Andromeda gazed down into her brilliant green eyes with a twist in her heart. "Sorry," she murmured, brushing away the curl of fear that touched her whenever she wondered about what lay in store for her youngest sister.

The whistle blew, and Lily swung around eagerly. "We're going to be leaving soon, I have to go! Bye, Andy. Write to me loads and loads!"

"I promise," Andromeda said, smiling. "I'll even make an Unbreakable Vow if you want me to."

Lily tilted her head as though seriously considering it, then shook her head. "I don't think you should. I mean –"

"Come on!" hollered Marlene McKinnon, who had been Lily's best friend almost since birth. She was a tall, sturdy girl with masses of curly brown hair that fell almost to her waist in thick spirals. "Quickly!"

Andromeda gave her youngest sister one last hug. "Be careful," she whispered. Then she stepped back, watching as the eleven-year-old jumped blithely up the steps and out of sight. A few moments later a head of long, flaming hair appeared at the window. Lily and Marlene waved furiously as the Hogwarts Express began pulling out of the station into a haze of steam. Narcissa, being a fifth-year prefect, had already said her goodbyes and boarded, while their oldest sister Bellatrix was currently on honeymoon with her new husband Rodolphus Lestrange.

Andromeda's heavy-lidded grey eyes followed them until she could do so no more, then with a sigh she turned around.

She froze.

Her aunt, a striking woman in her forties, was standing there watching her coolly. Derision gleamed in her dark gaze.

She swallowed. "Hello, Aunt Walburga."

"Andromeda," the woman returned. "What a pleasant surprise." Her words indicated that she thought the exact opposite.

The younger Black searched for something to say. "So… Are you here to see off somebody?"

Walburga's eyes narrowed. "Your cousin Sirius starts Hogwarts this year. The same as Delilah, I presume."

Andromeda remembered abruptly Sirius Black, the boy she had last seen as a young terror of nine years old, and who had been every inch the arrogant Black even then. She had forgotten that he was the same age as Lily; the two branches of the family were not precisely close. Perhaps she had wanted to forget. She was under no illusions about the type of people her family were.

She remembered that her aunt had asked her a question and nodded, a little too late. Walburga seized upon the weakness.

"So how is Delilah?"

"Lily is fine," Andromeda said curtly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must go." She hurried away, not caring that she was being rude.

Walburga Black watched her niece go and smiled.


Inside the Hogwarts Express, Lily and Marlene had their textbooks open as they got an early start on the spells and charms they would be learning that year. The compartment was littered with Chocolate Frog wrappers.

"I don't get this," Marlene said, squinting at The Book of Spells, Grade One. "It says that you have to flick the wand, but when I flick –"

A loud voice echoed through the train, cutting her off. "We will be arriving at Hogwarts in five minutes. Please get dressed and leave your trunks on board as they will be collected later."

Lily had changed into her black robes almost the moment she had got on board. She looked out of the window as Marlene changed as well, excitement sparking within her. She had had to wait behind as her three older sisters went to Hogwarts without her, but now here she was, with her wand tucked safely in her pocket, on her own way at last. Also in her pocket was a hand-drawn map of the school Andromeda had given her. She couldn't wait to go exploring with Marlene.

It was dark outside, but she could hear rain drumming on the roof as the great steam train drew to a stop. Lily and Marlene waited dutifully until the older years had filed past before inching out themselves.

"There you are!" Narcissa cried as she hurried up to them. The silver-and-green Slytherin prefect badge glittered on her chest. "Father would be very displeased if you'd gotten lost and fallen under the train. Here, follow me."

The two girls followed her white-blonde head down the steps to the platform. Narcissa pointed at a huge, mountain-like man who was waving his arms over his head and bellowing.

"Bloody hell," Marlene breathed. She and Lily exchanged a half-furtive, half-proud glance at the adult curse. "Who is that?"

"That's Hagrid," Narcissa explained. "He's in charge of the first-years, so you need to go over there and wait with him. I have to organise the others." She ran off again.

Lily and Marlene looked at each other. The former shrugged, so they fought against the flow of the crowd to get nearer to him. As she got closer Lily realised that he was shouting, "Firs' years over here! Firs' years over here!"

The bunch of first-years who were clustered around him shivered as the rain beat down heavier on their heads. Lily wrapped her cloak more tightly about her thin frame, examining the faces of her fellow classmates. She frowned as she saw someone she recognised.

"Sirius?"

Even though it had been two years since she'd last seen him, there was no mistaking the Black looks. His hair was a sleek inky mop, crystalline eyes the grey of twilight shadows. He, Bellatrix, Andromeda, and his younger brother Regulus had always resembled each other. All of them had inherited the classic family looks. Meanwhile, although Narcissa and Lily shared the same delicate – verging on arrogant – facial structure as their family, Narcissa's hair was the pale gold of their Rosier mother's, and Lily had fiery locks and green eyes that had come from their Crabbe grandmother.

Sirius twisted in her direction and nodded once, briefly. "Delilah."

"Lily," she corrected. The contained, emotionless mask she wore when dealing with most members of her family fell automatically into place. She hated it because it was a trait of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, but one that she found undeniably useful.

"McKinnon, isn't it?" Sirius was asking, looking Marlene up and down with contempt evident on his face. "I remember you. Half-blood?"

Marlene nodded hesitantly. Instantly he let out a bark of laughter.

"Really, Lily? Still hanging out with people who are practically Mudbloods?"

"Shut up," she snapped. Marlene's blue eyes had gone wide and round in shock. Lily grabbed her best friend's arm and tugged her back, away from where Sirius was standing.

"Ignore him," she said gently. "He's just a stuck- up little snob, okay?"

Marlene blinked rapidly. "Who was he, Lily?"

She hesitated, wanting to lie, but knowing she couldn't. "That was Sirius. He's my… cousin."

"Your cousin," the other girl repeated. "A Black." A self-mocking laugh. "Well, I should have known. A half-blood can't possibly be good enough for the pureblood daughter of generations of Blacks, can she?"

"Marlene!" Lily said fiercely. "Listen to me. "You're my best friend, and yes, I know that my family doesn't approve of you – except Andy, anyway – but I don't care. I'll always be friends with you, understand?"

Marlene gave her a thin smile and nodded. At Hagrid's command, the two girls climbed into a small rowing boat, taking care to pick one as far from Sirius as possible. He appeared to have forgotten about them: he was now talking and laughing loudly with three other boys.

Another boy and girl climbed into their boat. Lily looked up at them curiously. The boy was tall and lanky, with brown hair and blue eyes, while the girl was a blonde like Marlene.

"Hi, I'm Frank Longbottom," the boy said in a quiet murmur. He smiled nervously at them. "Can we sit here?"

"Of course!" Lily said brightly. "And who are you?"

"Arabella Figg," the girl said shyly.

Conversation stalled when the boat abruptly set off without any visible means of propulsion. The rain had stopped by this time, and a thousand flickering lights shone as Lily gazed hungrily upon Hogwarts Castle. This was to be her home for the next seven years, and she'd be damned if she allowed her family to ruin it.


"I was thinking Gryffindor," Frank said as the boat continued to rock on its way towards the castle. "You know, because of Dumbledore being in it?"

Once his initial bashfulness had faded, he had turned out to be remarkably enthusiastic on the topic of their future scholastic careers. Arabella had thawed as well, although she remained slightly more reserved. The four of them were discussing which Houses they wanted to be Sorted into.

"That's a good choice," Marlene agreed. "But what about Ravenclaw? It's for the clever ones!"

"True," Frank conceded. "I guess I don't really mind where I'm Sorted, as long as it's not Slytherin." He shuddered exaggeratedly. "I don't think I could live with myself if I were Sorted into Slytherin!"

Lily looked down. Every single member of her family for centuries had been Sorted into Slytherin, a House which her new friends obviously despised. That boded well for her future popularity.

The boats stopped at a small pier and they clambered out. Hagrid shepherded them up to the huge front doors. Inside, the wet and bedraggled first-years were told to try to make themselves look presentable while they waited to be summoned.

Lily threw her waterlogged mane of hair over her shoulder. There were butterflies in her stomach, even if she didn't want to admit it. She was going to have to walk out in front of hundreds of people and see the horrified expressions on her friends' faces as the Sorting Hat roared out Slytherin!

It was nerve-wracking, to say the least.

What felt like hours later, the doors to the antechamber swung open and the first-years streamed out.

Lily felt hundreds of pairs of eyes drilling into her. Resolutely she kept her head high, face blank. She quickly glanced at the Slytherin table. Narcissa was there already chivvying people to move up and make space. Her sister raised her eyes for a fraction of a second and nodded encouragingly at her.

Finally they stopped in front of the stool with the Sorting Hat. Lily stared at it in fascination. It was bent over and moth-eaten, nothing special, but she knew it had the power to determine where she would spend the next seven years of her life.

The beaky-nosed professor who had introduced herself as the Deputy Headmistress McGonagall unfurled a long scroll.

"Acerman, Colin!"

"Ravenclaw!"

"Alphard, Juliet!"

"Hufflepuff!"

Lily tuned out the cheering that occurred whenever a House's name was called. She was a B; not long now.

"Black, Delilah!"

The Great Hall fell silent in anticipation as the youngest daughter of Cygnus Black walked calmly up to the stool. Professor McGonagall jammed the Hat on Lily's head.

Almost instantly the Sorting Hat opened its mouth. "Sly – "

No! Lily thought desperately. Please, I don't want to be in Slytherin!

To her surprise a small voice spoke in her ear, like the whining of a mosquito.

"You don't want to be Slytherin? Even when your blood cries out for it?"

I don't care about blood, she said mentally.

There was a pause, then the Hat spoke once more. "Interesting. You are cunning, conniving and prideful, and you have the makings of a fine Slytherin. But there is a courage in you which means that if you refuse Slytherin, I must place you in –"

"Gryffindor!"

Instead of the cheering which usually followed the Hat's pronouncements, there was a dead silence. Lily cracked her eyelids open.

Nearly everyone looked dumbstruck. Narcissa's mouth was open in astonishment. Had they really heard correctly? Had a Black just been Sorted into Gryffindor?

Apparently. Lily placed the Hat back on its stool and scurried to the table decorated with scarlet and gold. She slid into place beside Scott August, who had been Sorted before her. For the rest of the Sorting she did her best to ignore the furious glares she could feel aimed her way from her sister's table.

Marlene McKinnon, Arabella Figg and Frank Longbottom were also all Sorted into Gryffindor, to her pleasure. The Hall seemed to suck in a breath when Sirius Black was called directly after her, but he swaggered up and was placed immediately in Slytherin. As he walked past her on his way to his new table he shot her a glance, as if to say that she had no idea what she was missing.

Lily also discovered the names of her cousin's new friends – the boys who had shared his boat with him. James Potter was a tall, rail-thin youth with wild black curls and hazel eyes, from a distinguished pureblood family. Next was Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew, both brunets. All of them were placed in Slytherin.

Finally the Sorting came to an end, and the plates filled up with food. Lily dug in hungrily. Beside her, her companions chattered.

"I'm Muggleborn," Arabella said brightly. "I had no clue I was magic until I got the letter – my parents thought it was an April Fools' joke at first!"

They laughed. "I've always known I was a wizard," Frank said. "Couldn't wait to get here. Pass me the potatoes, would you, Lily?"

Lily looked up at him. He was smiling at her with no hint that he was about to denounce her for belonging to a family long steeped in the Dark Arts. With a rush of relief, she did as he had asked.

"Oh, Lily, I wanted to ask you," Arabella said. "Why didn't anyone cheer for you when you got Sorted?"

There was a sudden silence in their corner of the table. Of course Arabella, being Muggleborn, would have no idea of the uproar Lily had just caused by being the first Black ever to not be in Slytherin. Worse, she was in Gryffindor. The two houses were mortal enemies.

Marlene shot Lily a look and jumped in to explain. "It's nothing really. It's just that everyone thought Lily would be in another house since all her sisters were in it."

"And that's where she should be," a voice cut in nastily. Lily turned to look at the pretty brunette girl a few metres away who was currently glaring at her in disgust. Kylie Brown, she remembered.

"I mean," Kylie continued, "everyone knows the Blacks can't be trusted. She'll end up going back to her royal pureblood family and betray all the rest of us –"

"Shut up!" Lily snarled. She was aware of people staring, but every iota of her concentration was focussed on the sneering girl in front of her. She curled her lip.

"You don't know anything about me," Lily said. Her voice was dangerously quiet. "You're so narrow-minded that you don't think a Black could ever think about anything except themselves. Well, you know what? I am a Black, and I'm in Gryffindor, because I belong here. And nobody will tell me that I don't, least of all you."

She looked back at her food in clear dismissal. Kylie seemed to be lost for words, gaping at Lily in clear shock. Lily drained her goblet of pumpkin juice and looked expectantly at Marlene.

"You done yet?"

"Nearly," Marlene said. She polished off her plate and stood up.

"Where are you going?" Frank hissed. "Nobody said we could leave!"

"Relax," Lily said. "Marlene and I are just going to wander round the school for a bit."

"But you'll get lost," Arabella pointed out.

"No, we won't. Lily's sister Andromeda drew her a map," Marlene said, as Lily produced it with a flourish. The two of them waved goodbye and ducked into one of the smaller doorways that led off the Hall.

When they had gone Arabella leaned closer to Frank. "What was that all about? Why was she yelling at Lily?"

Frank sighed and prepared to explain. "Well, her family…"

He stopped abruptly. He had just seen two figures stealthily sneak out after Lily and Marlene. Their identities were unmistakeable.

Whatever reason Sirius Black and James Potter had for following the girls out of the Hall, it could not be a good one.


"This is the corridor to the Potions dungeons," Lily murmured. She was whispering, since the echoes bounced easily around the stone walls and floor of the passageway. Marlene nodded in response.

"The Slytherin common room is down in the dungeons too, isn't it?" she whispered.

"Andy said it's under the lake," Lily replied. The two girls passed over the entrance to the dungeons and carried on. The light from their wands illuminated the piece of parchment with its crude outline of the school.

"Well, if it isn't my dear blood traitor cousin and the half-blood," a voice said. Instantly Lily whirled around, her eyes widening. Sirius Black and James Potter were standing only a few metres away, both of them smirking. She repressed the urge to take a step backwards.

"What are you doing here?" She addressed herself to her cousin, not knowing the other boy apart from a few pureblood functions she had seen him at several years before.

"We could ask you the same question," Sirius said. "This is the way to the Slytherin common room, Lily, or are you already gaining the thickness of your fellow Gryffindors?"

His voice was deceptively calm and even. Lily matched his tone, knowing that in their family soft words were more deadly than a raised voice could ever be.

"What about you, Sirius? Has the cowardice of the Slytherins infected you yet?"

"Self-preservation, not cowardice," he corrected. "Merely displaying that we Slytherins rely on our brains, not brawn. And how do you think our family will react once I write to them about the results of the Sorting?"

Involuntarily Lily winced. Her parents would be beyond furious. Visions of the Howler that would be gracing her soon swam before her eyes, along with the threats of disownment and assorted punishments. Even Andromeda had been in Slytherin! Maybe getting into Gryffindor was a rebellion too far? Sirius saw his advantage and pressed it.

"See, you know I'm right. And if they don't flat-out disinherit you –"

"Enough!"

The voice came from Marlene. Lily blinked and swung around to look at her best friend, who was glaring at Sirius, her eyes narrowed.

"That's enough," she snapped. "Lily belongs in Gryffindor, alright? She isn't some high-and-mighty blood snob like you, and thank God for that!"

"She's betrayed the family!" Sirius roared.

Lily found her voice. "As if you care," she sneered back. "Really big on family, aren't you, Sirius? That's why I haven't seen your parents in two years…"

His grey eyes burned as he strode closer to her. "Now all everyone will be talking about is how a Black got into bloody Gryffindor!"

"I don't care!" she snapped. Once ignited, her temper had always been formidable, and she stood until they were face-to-face. All she could concentrate on was her roaring anger. Marlene and James Potter – who had still said nothing – had faded into the background, but she was dimly aware that James's eyes were fixed unblinkingly on her.

"I'll do as I damn well please, Sirius, and I'll thank you to keep out of my business!"

"You're a Black, like it or not, so you are my business!"

"WHAT IS GOING ON?"

Lily and Sirius sprang apart. A tall redhaired seventh-year prefect with a Ravenclaw badge was standing beside them, his wand out. The boy who had interrupted the shouting match looked them up and down.

"First-years," he said contemptuously. "Wandered off and got lost, did you?"

"Mind your own business, Prewitt," Sirius said arrogantly. Prewitt narrowed his eyes.

"Five points from Slytherin for disrespect, Black. And make that another five for arguing. As for you," he turned to face Lily, "aren't you that Black girl who just got sorted into Gryffindor?"

She nodded, trying to look as nonchalant as possible.

"Five from Gryffindor too. Now get back to your common rooms." He stalked off, his footsteps clanging on the stone floor.

The four of them waited until he had gone. Then Lily glanced back at Marlene.

"Come on, we'd better go. We start classes tomorrow."

Marlene nodded. Lily took a step forward, trying to skirt around James Potter's side. Something about his silence, and the disconcerting way he watched her, put her on edge; it was uncomfortably reminiscent of a wolf that had stumbled across the path of a rabbit. She didn't want to get any nearer to him than necessary.

She had nearly passed him when a sudden stinging pain shot through her scalp. Lily gasped – more from shock than hurt. One of his fists had shot out to wrap around the long length of her hair, and he had used the handful of red locks to tug her head back, forcing her to look directly into his face. For an endless moment they simply stared at each other. Then he released her, sending her staggering.

Sirius burst into laughter. Immediately Lily whirled back around. The hand holding her wand lifted, a spell on her furious lips, but Sirius eyed her with amusement.

"You thinking about cursing James, cousin? Go on then. Prove to us just how Slytherin you are. Well, what are you waiting for?"

A heartbeat passed. Another. Potter's expression was supremely unconcerned, but his hand hovered near his wand. He clearly had no intention of underestimating her.

Smart boy. But she couldn't, wouldn't, give him the satisfaction of being proved right.

Lily took a deep breath and lowered her wand. "Quick, Marlene," she said tightly. "Let's go, before I do something I'll regret."

"See you soon," Potter said, speaking for the first time. His mouth curved in a mocking curl.

Lily walked off slowly, Marlene by her side, pace forcedly slow.

She felt his eyes boring into her back every step of the way.


AN: I would love to know what you think of the new prologue!