Chapter One: Words are Easy, Like the Wind

October 1977

"Lumos," Lily murmured. The tip of her wand started to glow and she held it aloft, passing it over the crevices of the corridor she was in.

Patrolling was one of the more enjoyable aspects of Head Girl duty. Lily revelled in it, the three hours or so of alone time she got several times a week just to think. Nor was it particularly strenuous. By now she had a solid knowledge of all the secret parts to Hogwarts most students didn't know about, and all the shortcuts significantly reduced the time it took her to get to lessons.

Ah, Head Girl. Almost automatically Lily brushed her fingers over the shiny red badge with 'HG' inscribed upon it gold. She'd wanted to be Head Girl from the moment she'd heard of the position. Now all her hard work and spotless record had paid off.

Next to be patrolled was the Charms corridor, so Lily made a right turn and went down it. So far it had been a quiet night. Classes started tomorrow after half-term, so everyone was either in bed or finishing off last-minute homework.

Nearly everyone, Lily corrected herself as she heard a very curious – yet sadly, by now recognisable – noise being emitted from a broom cupboard to her right. She rolled her eyes and burst the doors open with a flick of her wand.

"Alright, out!"

The grunting and moans carried on before abruptly ceasing. As her eyes passed over the cupboard's inhabitants, her expression first turned sour then shocked.

"Stebbins! What the hell are you doing in there with Potter?"

Rosalie Stebbins and James Potter stumbled out, giggling and righting their robes. Lily snarled under her breath. Trust Potter to be in a broom cupboard, because after all he seemed to live in the bloody things, but Stebbins of all people? She was a meek, gentle Ravenclaw who, it was well known, was saving herself for marriage. At least, she had been – until Potter had gotten hold of her.

Her crowning glory was the plait of glossy crimson curls that roped, snakelike, down the length of her spine.

A burn of hatred started in Lily's chest, as it always did whenever she set eyes on Potter's messy jet-black hair and swaggering smirk. There was no denying he was handsome, but she knew the truth. She knew the monster behind the mask.

It was just unfortunate that nobody else seemed to.

"Quiet, both of you!" Lily ordered.

Potter looked at her. "Good evening, Lily," he said, tone casual. "Nice night for a walk, isn't it?"

"Ten points from Slytherin for being out of bed after hours," she growled, ignoring his words. "Ten from Ravenclaw for the same reason."

"That's hardly fair," he said calmly. While she was sure that her anger could be read in the flickering depths of her eyes, his face gave nothing away. He had mastered the Black mask even better than she had.

"I mean," he carried on, "not that you'd understand, but we're actually having fun here. A concept you seem unable to grasp. Maybe you'd like to watch us and learn some tips?"

As if it was her cue, Stebbins grabbed him around the neck and pulled him down for a sloppy kiss. Lily aimed her wand.

"Aguamenti!"

A jet of water shot out, soaking both of them. She watched in satisfaction as they spluttered.

"Black!" Stebbins said furiously. "What did you do that for?"

"Because you were ignoring the Head Girl," Lily responded, although the real reason was far more twisted and complex than she would ever be prepared to examine.

Potter took his glasses off and wiped them. Not so perfect now, are you? Lily thought with a cruel smile. He took a step towards her.

"Lily, you little –"

"Twenty points from Slytherin," she interrupted coolly. Her voice betrayed none of the glee she felt internally at ruffling him. "Now leave before I make it fifty."

He glared at her, the amber glitter of his eyes promising painful retribution. She simply sneered at him. Once she might have been scared, but she was older now, and nothing he could do or say would ever bring her down to that level again.

"Toddle along then," she said condescendingly. Potter's jaw worked as though he were struggling to bite back a retort. Then he strode off down the corridor, Stebbins struggling to keep up behind him as he left.

The moment she was sure he had gone, Lily exhaled loudly and sagged against the wall. Confrontations with Potter always left her feeling tired, like all the strength had been sapped from her – something that didn't even happen when she faced down her dear cousin Sirius. For the millionth time she was grateful Remus Lupin had been made Head Boy. True, he was a Marauder, but as she had discovered, he was willing to overlook their differences in private to work with her. He was good-looking too, with sandy brown hair and a cheerful smile, though his face was permanently shadowed with tiredness. If it weren't for his House and the company he kept she might even have developed a crush on him.

Once Lily had recovered she carried on her way. The rest of the patrol passed without incident. At a quarter to midnight she glanced at the luminous face of her watch and decided it was time for bed.

Lily started the trek back to Gryffindor tower. The castle was completely silent, everyone safely in their beds at this hour… except her. She sped up, eager to get back to her warm dorm and four-poster bed situated conveniently between Marlene and Arabella, but her path was abruptly arrested when she rounded a corner and found herself staring into the lamp-like yellow eyes of Mrs Norris.

The cat hissed.

"It's alright, Mrs Norris," Lily told her affectionately. "It's just me, on patrol." Argus Filch's cat had been an occasional companion as she patrolled, and unlike the majority of the student body, she actually liked it. Probably that was because she had no misdeeds it had turned her in for.

Mrs Norris hissed again. Lily frowned as she saw that it was crouched by a statue of some crone. She walked closer to it.

"What's wrong?"

The witch statue's single stone eye seemed to glare blindly at her. Lily's skin tingled as she peered at it, wondering what was so special. Maybe there were students hidden behind it? She walked all around the statue but found nothing.

"Sorry, Mrs Norris," she told the watching cat with a shrug. "Nothing there." She glanced back at the one-eyed witch as she left, unable to shake the feeling that someone was watching from the shadows.

"Venomous Tentacula," Lily offered the portrait of the Fat Lady.

She shook her head. "Better luck next time."

"Devil's Snare," Lily tried.

The corpulent portrait yawned.

She stamped her foot, irritated. "But I'm Head Girl! You know me, I've been in Gryffindor for the last six years!"

"Sorry," the Fat Lady said unapologetically. "But that's the rule. No entrance unless you have the password."

"Well, as Head Girl, I order you –"

"Lily!"

The portrait swung open. Lily breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Marlene climb through, wrapped in a fluffy white dressing gown.

"Marlene!" she exclaimed. "Thank God you're here! She won't let me in!"

"Oh, it's mandrake root," Marlene said. "I've been waiting up for you, there's something that's arrived for you."

Lily followed her into the common room. At this late hour it was deserted, the fire burning in the hearth playing over empty armchairs and tables. She sank into one of the sofas with a tired sigh.

"Met Potter?" Marlene guessed sympathetically. She knew the signs.

"Yes," Lily said without opening her eyes. "With Rosalie Stebbins, can you believe it?"

Marlene snorted. "So much for her vow of chastity… But anyway, while you were off guarding Hogwarts, Morrigan brought this for you."

Lily's curiosity was piqued. She looked at what this was.

It was a scroll, tied with a length of black ribbon, and that alone told her who it was from. She reached out and read the first letter she had received from her family since Andromeda Black had eloped with a Muggleborn by the uncouth name of Edward Tonks two weeks ago.

Dear Lily,

I hope you are well. am writing to you to invite you to the wedding of Lucius and I in the capacity of bridesmaid. It will be held next Saturday at Malfoy Manor. I trust you will be able to come.

Before you arrive, I must warn you: Andromeda has been blasted off the family tree, and as such you, Bella, and I no longer have a sister by that name. This is to be your reply if you are asked questions about it. Mother and Father were very angry with her betrayal. With you being in Gryffindor, they may doubt your innate loyalty to the House of Black and our cause, so be prepared. Do not let us down. I will see you at Malfoy Manor next week.

From your loving sister Narcissa Black, soon to be Narcissa Malfoy

Lily finished reading the letter and rubbed her eyes.

"Well?" Marlene said expectantly. She had been reading at the same time, chin balanced on Lily's shoulder.

"Well what?"

"Are you going to go?" she persisted.

Lily heaved a shuddering groan. "I don't know, Marlene. On the one hand, I love my sisters, for all their faults. And I know they love me. But… but they're Blacks, for God's sake. You know their views on Muggleborns as well as I do!"

She stood up and began to pace agitatedly. "I mean, I've never considered myself to be all that much a part of the family. I don't believe in the supremacy of purebloods or that all other lines deserve to be wiped out. You know that! But now Andy's been disowned, we're not even allowed to mention her name. Cissy and Bella think I'm like them. Like our parents. Like Sirius."

Lily stared into the fire.

"But I'm not. Not at heart."

Her sisters were much older than her – ranging from Bellatrix, nine years above her, to Narcissa, at five years. She had always been cosseted by them. True, she didn't see them much anymore now that all but she were married, and none of her sisters were particularly diligent letter-writers, but the bond remained.

And yet. And yet look at how effectively Andromeda had been cut from the family tree, merely for falling in love. She would never be able to tell them her true feelings on blood supremacy, not if she wanted to remain a Black sister, safe in the inner circle.

Marlene rose to rub her back comfortingly. "I think you should go," she said unexpectedly. Lily stared at her.

"What? But you of all people should know what they're like."

"I do," Marlene said. "But they're still your sisters, and you love them. Go. Be a bridesmaid."

She chewed her lip. "I'll have to go and ask Dumbledore for special permission to leave for the weekend. Then I'll have to ask Lupin to take over all Head duties, just for those two days. Then a present…"

"Send your acceptance back first," Marlene laughed, passing her a quill. Lily scrawled out a note acknowledging what Narcissa had said about Andromeda and stating that she would be delighted to go. She tied it to one of Morrigan's talons. Her owl, a birthday gift from Bellatrix, pecked at her affectionately, before it spread its wings and flew out into the star-speckled night.

Marlene yawned.

"Time for bed," Lily said, yawning as well. "We have lessons tomorrow."

"A return to the seven am alarm," Marlene muttered. The two girls climbed the winding staircase to the girl's dormitories and hurriedly got ready for bed. As she slipped between the warmed sheets a thought occurred to Lily that made her sit bolt upright in bed.

"Marlene!"

The reply was sleepy. "Mm?"

"Sirius will be there," Lily whispered fiercely. "Cissy can't not invite him. Which means… Potter will be too."

Her heart leapt in her breast with sick rage. She hated seeing him. Hated it, hated it -

There was silence from Marlene's bed. Then:

"Oh, shit. I didn't think of that."

AN: Annnd Chapter 1! I apologise for the liberties 13-year-old me took with the canonical date of Andromeda's elopement, which definitely happened before 1977, since Tonks was born in 1973. Oh well.

I'm trying my best to keep intact all the stuff which worked from the first draft. Do let me know if I've succeeded! Chapter 2 will be up soon.