DORMITORY
"I have to what?" Lily asked, horror flooding her features.
"Yes, didn't you know? You've been obsessed with the position for years," Elle said, brow furrowed. She scooped mashed potatoes onto her plate, adding a touch of pepper and butter. Marlene, who sat beside her, wasn't eating, for she couldn't take her eyes off Black sauntering into the Great Hall, his tie dangling around his neck and his robes undone.
"That I have to share a dormitory with the most disgusting and pig-like boy in Great Britain? No, no I didn't," Lily said, horror still staining her face.
"You'll survive, Lovely," Elle said. Dorcas sighed happily as she slid into the seat next to Lily. Her fluffy curls brushed Lily's forehead and Lily swatted them away.
"What's got her broom bristled?" Dorcas asked, frowning.
"She just found out that she has to share a dormitory with Potter," Elle said through a mouthful of stuffing.
"Separate rooms, of course?" Dorcas asked.
"Of course, Dorky, but still!" Lily said harshly.
"Are you going to eat your pie?" Elle asked. Lily pushed the slice of shepherd's pie across the table.
"Please, let me stay with you guys!" Lily begged.
Dorcas snorted. "No! You have this amazing, huge dormitory that we can all hang out in and have big parties and you want to give it up just because Potter is going to be there? Besides, now we don't have to listen to your bloody music!"
"The Beatles are amazing!" Lily listened to the Beatles almost religiously, barely leaving room for anyone else, other than Queen.
"Plus, more space to practice dance!" Lily had been ballet dancing since she could walk.
Her heart lifted with all the mentioning of the good things about this arrangement. She would have lots of space, it would be quiet so she could study more often, and she could listen to whatever music she wanted and wouldn't have to deal with the other Gryffindor seventh years.
"Isn't he dreamy," Marlene said softly, her eyes clouded with infatuation as she stared at Sirius.
Lily levitated her bags down the corridor after McGonagall, following her to the Head's House. It was down near Dumbledore's office and the staff quarters, guarded by a shield with the Hogwarts mascots bursting out of it. As McGonagall approached it, the eagle drew back its wings and stretched its talons, the lion roared, the badger bared its teeth, and the snake prepared to strike.
"Sugar Snaps," McGonagall said clearly and the animals calmed. She rubbed the lion's head and it purred, nuzzling against her palm. The shield pulled from the wall to reveal a stairway that led upwards. It wound and wound in a spiral and as McGonagall stepped onto it, she motioned for Lily to follow her. The stairway began to move like the escalators in big stores in the city. "Careful, if you don't get the password right, the animals attack," McGonagall said.
At the top of the tower there was a large room. A sitting area was arranged on one side, the couches, chairs, and rugs all transfigured into Gryffindor colors. The fireplace was already crackling and the room smelled like cookies. On the other side of the room, a small kitchenette sported an oven, stove, and island with one of the red SMEG refrigerators that Lily had had her eye on. When she opened it, it was stocked with some of her favourite foods, including a wrapped dish of shepherd's pie.
There was a glass door in the kitchen that led to a veranda where a large oak tree stood taller than the stone walls around it. A swing hung down from it and there was a small flower garden.
"The rooms are fitted to your liking, plus the house elves are especially observant. They can name almost any student's favourite food. You may check your room, it should be just right for you."
Lily hurried to the door on the right side of the apartment and threw it open. There was a lovely bed set with all-white furniture and yellow accents. A string of lights hung above her bed, next to a picture of a doe. Her trucks were unloaded and set in the wardrobe and all her books were arranged on the shelves. But the best part was the window seat. It wasn't large, but it was well decorated with lots of colorful pillows and a reading lamp hung down from the ceiling. There were curtains that would keep the heat in, but the windows opened outward so she could dangle her feet out the window when she was feeling particularly reckless.
"This is perfect, Professor," Lily said gratefully, turning back to McGonagall.
"Mm, yes. I suppose it is. I do like the throw pillows. Ooh, and it looks like Professor Dumbledore left you some sweets," The Professor pointed at Lily's desk, where a bowl of Muggle lemon drops sat waiting.
"Professor, where is Pot- I mean, James?"
"Oh, who knows? I assume he knows where the room is. Doesn't he seem to know a lot more about the castle than everyone else? Perhaps even more than Dumbledore."
"Yes, I suppose so."
"Alright then. Have a nice night. I don't suppose I have to remind you not to be late for classes tomorrow?"
"No, Professor."
"Good night, then."
"Thank you, Professor."
McGonagall stopped before stepping down the steps. "Oh, Lily?"
"Yes?"
"You're going to do a wonderful job. And James might surprise you." Minerva McGonagall smiled kindly, almost motherly, before continuing down the stairs.
Lily sighed and walked back into her new room. She fell back onto the bed and sighed again. She wondered what the girls were doing. She wondered what trouble the Marauders were getting into. She wondered what she was missing being all the way up in this tower.
"No, no I will not wonder. I will… do something." She stood and opened the pretty white wardrobe. Inside, her two sets of school robes were carefully ironed and pressed. Three white blouses, two plaid skirts, a blazer, and two pairs of jeans were neatly folded and hung beside them. Lily opened the drawers to find her ballet outfit. She changed into black nylons, colorful knitted leg warmers, and a black, long-sleeved leotard. As she walked into the openly-spaced living room, she pinned her thick red hair into a bun. She Accioed her record player and a Mozart vinyl and set about warming up.
Lily had been dancing ever since her mother enrolled her in a Baby Ballet class when she was four. She barely remembered anything about that first year of classes, only the fight her parents had gotten in over it. Her father said it was too pricey, but Jocelyn thought Lily deserved it. After all, Petunia was taking equestrian lessons. Richard made Jocelyn pay for the lessons out of her own salary.
Ever since she'd begun, Lily had loved everything about it. She loved the music, the rhythm of feet pattering against hardwood flooring, the synchronized breathing, even the smell. She could lose herself in the steady beats and the sounds of the stage. The feeling of weightlessness, Lily loved that the most. To let go of all her cares and worries, even if only for a few hours, made everything possible. Dancing was Lily's calling, she thought. It was her own kind of magic.
After her own practice, reviewing the steps her instructor had taught her, she was breathing heavily and sweating- Mrs. Beckett called it glowing, but Lily disagreed. She did a bit of free-style dancing- editing the Swan Lake dance- until the door slammed open.
"Dance party?" James asked, grinning. Lily scowled and marched towards the record player, picking the needle up off the vinyl.
"Ever heard of knocking?" She asked, still scowling. She brought her hair down from its bun, the curls twisting and flouncing around her collarbone.
She could see James visibly gulp, but he brushed past it with a retort. "Not when it's my own dorm."
"Yes, well, you're sharing it with a girl now and girls like privacy."
"And just because of that I have to knock to enter my own dormitory?"
"Yes. It's respectful. Besides, I could be walking around in a towel."
"Well, then I'm never knocking." He grinned.
"Potter!" Lily frowned and wanted to slap him. She moved gracefully to the other side of the room, sitting in a chair to undo her ribbons. "Where were you?" She asked the imposing boy, who was still standing at the door.
"Scaling the roof of the Gryffindor tower."
"Whatever for?"
"Well, it's exactly the same height as the Ravenclaw tower, innit?" he asked, sitting on the couch opposite her chair.
"I don't know."
"It is."
"So?"
"We made ours taller."
"How on earth did you manage that?" She asked incredulously, setting the slippers beside her and standing to get a drink.
"Taped a Muggle ruler to the top."
"How?"
"By climbing up the roof."
"Why would you do that?"
"We wanted the Gryffindor tower to be taller!"
"That's ridiculous."
"Oh, we're well aware."
"I'm sure of it. Apple?" She held up an apple.
"No thanks. What were you doing?" He leaned against the back of the couch, kicking his feet up on the end table. Lily's eyes twitched. She hated sloppiness, and Jame had plenty of it.
"It's none of your business."
"Come on, I told you what I was doing."
"You were bragging, I don't feel like bragging."
"You always feel like bragging. What are these?" He picked up one of the slippers by the ribbon and dangled it above his head.
"Put that down!" Lily said firmly, like she was scolding a puppy.
"Why? Is it valuable?"
"Potter! Now!"
"Fine. I will find out though, what you were doing. I'll ask Sunny or Elfy or Dork." Meaning Marlene, Elle, and Dorcas.
"Don't call them that."
"Why not? Everyone loves it."
"You are a prat." She stomped over to him, grabbed the slippers, and stormed towards her room.
"Evans, what'd I do?" He shouted after her. She slammed the door. "We were having a civil conversation! You offered me an apple, remember?" She heard him say through the door.