A/N Sorry for the cliffhanger before, I had to end the chapter, and I wanted to post it. This just adds a weird twist to the story. You'll still get to see the Potion, don't worry!!!!
"An accident?" Remus asked, echoing Lily's thoughts.
"Yes, Mr.Lupin, an accident. I need you all to return to your common rooms immediately. Classes for this afternoon will be cancelled." Dumbledore's voice was uncharacteristically stern, and all of the students obeyed immediately. Lily packed up her books, minus the one Sirius had taken. He was still reading it. She cast a nervous look at Angelica, thoughts flickering through her mind. What was it that had happened? Angelica left with Sirius, so Lily walked to the common room alone. Her footsteps echoed around the halls. They were strangely empty, she didn't see a single student anywhere…
No, Please, not Harry!!!
Lily whirled around to where the voice had come from, but saw nothing. Her heart beat fast in her chest. Maybe hearing things was normal when a person was under a lot of stress.
"After all" she consoled herself "Uncle Leo saw all those clowns."
Kill me instead…please!!!
Lily jumped and let out a small squeak of fright. She was sure she had heard that voice. Positive. She looked around her, up at the ceiling, and closed her eyes.
"I am not crazy, I am not hearing things. It's just my mind. I am not crazy, I am not hearing things, it's just my mind…"
Have Mercy! Nooo……..
Lily opened her eyes, saw no one, and took off running, her back pack split, and books went flying everywhere. She skidded to a halt, and turned, nearly tripping over James Potter who had appeared out of no where, and had received a book to his stomach.
"James, I am so sorry! Are you alright? Can you hear voices?" Lily asked, picking up her books as she talked
"I got hit in the stomach, not the head, Lily. I don't hear anything. Well, except you talking"
"That's not what I meant…never mind, James. Why aren't you in the Common room?"
"Angelica asked me to find you."
"Oh" Lily frowned "Why can't she come find me? Who says I need to be found anyway?"
James sighed "I don't know, Lily. I really don't. Lets go back to the common room. Something bad's happened."
"So everyone keeps saying. WHAT happened, James?"
James looked at Lily . She was angrier than he'd ever seen her, which wasn't saying much. She was sitting on the floor, Her books in her arms, nearly hiding her face from view. Her eyebrows were in a frown and her green eyes were slitted in anger. She looked rather funny.
She looks rather funny. James thought And, actually, rather pretty as well. Weird how I never noticed it before.
"James? Are you alright?"
"Yeah. The Professor, apparently, blew himself up."
"What?!" Lily demanded, eyebrows raised, eyes wide.
"That's what one of the Prefects said. He mixed in the wrong ingredients for a potion, and it exploded in his face." Lily grimaced, and looked sad. James was surprised, he hadn't thought anyone liked the professor. Except maybe Snape, who was probably at that moment lamenting his death in private.
"Poor Professor Barre. I mean, he was mean, but death…well…no one deserves to die" Lily looked down at her fingers. James regarded her for a couple of minutes, and nodded in agreement.
"No, your right. Come on, let's go back to the common room".
"Are you sure you couldn't hear anything James?" James nodded, and offered Lily a hand up, but succeeded in grasping her elbow, as she had her hands full of books. Lily staggered, but finally stood up straight. James grabbed her broken bag, and they walked off to the common room. The Fat Lady regarded them reproachfully
"Aren't you supposed to be in the common room? Can't have you lollygaging when You-Know-Who might be about. Young love is no excuse to put yourselves in danger, if you want privacy-"
"Cowswallop" James said, and the Fat Lady let them in, her lecture ringing in their ears.
"Lily!" Angelica said, disentangling herself from a crowd of students to run over to her friend.
"You scared me! Everyone's talking- You-Know-Who might be in the castle! I was worried you might run into him! That's why I asked James to go, don't be mad, but Tilly, she's in 1st year, was crying and-"
"You-Know-Who's here?" Lily's faced paled, and she dropped all of her books upon the floor.
"I said it was a rumor, didn't I?" Angelica put a hand on Lily's shoulder, Lily was shaking from head to toe. She felt angry. How dare he. How dare Voldemort…be in the castle. She was so angry at being threatened, she forgot how scared she was. Rage boiled inside her stomach, and she clenched sweaty fists. Angelica moved her hand away, sure that Lily was going to faint, her face was so pale.
"How dare he!" Lily exclaimed, so loud that many people looked at her in surprise. "How dare Voldemort be inside this castle!!!!!" many people gasped, the name frightened them, but Lily ignored it. "I am so sick of being scared all of the time! I shouldn't have to be scared, should I?" She looked around the room, then answered her own question "No, I shouldn't. No one should. But we are, and it makes me so mad."
"Lily." Angelica grabbed her friends hand, worry in every part of her face "Calm down, Lily. It's probably just a rumor."
Lily considered this "Well, I am going to find out." She said, standing up she walked past Angelica to the portrait hole
"Wait, Lily. Oh for heavens sake!" Angelica exclaimed, running after her best friend.
Professor Dumbledore looked at the two girls sitting in his office. One, with black hair, looked nervous, like she did not want to be there. The other, whose flaming red hair and green eyes sparkled, was deathly pale, but had a determined look about her.
"What can I do for you, Miss Evans, Miss Ward?" the redhead spoke up.
"Professor, I heard that Voldemort was in the castle, and I want to know if it is true". Lily was talking as if she were the teacher, and him the student, and Dumbledore raised his eyebrows, and looked at the young witch. She returned his gaze evenly.
"He is not, Miss Evans. Do not worry. This is merely a rumor, and has not truth to it. Does that satisfy your question?"
"Yes Professor. Sort of." Lily hesitated, but barreled on "Could Voldemort get inside here? It's not that I am terribly scared, but I don't like the idea of him ever being close to me." Dumbledore smiled warmly
"Not a very likely situation, Miss Evans, do not worry." Lily nodded, a little perturbed that he kept telling her not to worry, but her and Angelica stood up, and left Dumbledore's office. It was time for dinner.
Hmmmmm, should I end it here? Nah, I still have at least an hour more in which I can write
Lily was lying down in the very empty Gryffindor common room the weekend of the unfortunate combustion of Professor Barre. She had taken up the whole couch, stretching to her full length while Crookshanks curled up happily on her stomach. Lily sighed, but did not stop reading her book, when the portrait hole swung open to reveal several Gryffindor Girls she did not know who came in talking hurriedly. They stopped when they saw Lily, however, and walked over to her. Lily realized that they were all first years and sighed again. First years always had an awful lot of questions.
"Are you Lily Evans?" asked a cute little girl, her brown hair in Shirley Temple-like curls all around her face.
"Yes." Lily said, as Crookshanks stretched one elegant paw across her chest, and began to wash his leg.
"Great! Professor Flitwick told me to ask you to tutor me in Charms! He said you were the best student in 5th year." She said this all in a rush, so Lily had to strain to understand her.
"Well, sure, I guess, when?" Lily said weakly, taken off guard by the sudden request.
"Is after dinner alright? Every Wednesday?" the girl asked. Lily considered this a moment, trying to remember if she had anything. She didn't.
"Sure. I guess you can meet me in the Library. What's your name?" Lily asked, looking up at the girl. Crookshanks meowed plaintively, as Lily had set down her book on top of him.
"My name is Celia Woodgrove" she said, extending a hand. Lily shook it, accidentally hitting Crookshanks with her elbow. The disgruntled kitten swatted at Lily's arm, but resumed washing his paws.
"I'll see you Wednesday, Lily Evans." The girl said, and walked off with her friends. Lily shrugged her shoulders, and picked up her book, which Crookshanks had knocked to the floor.
"You bad little thing!" she exclaimed, playfully pulling the cats fluffy orange tail "It's a lovely story, listen:
'You'd find it easier to be bad than good if you had red hair' said Anne reproachfully "People who haven't red hair don't know what trouble is…..'
Lily was so busy reading out loud to her cat, she didn't notice the group of girls come downstairs again. Celia smiled, and sat down in one of the comfy chairs to listen to her read, as did the other first years. Lily read on, casting a sly glance at her cat, who almost seemed to be smiling. Lily loved telling stories, but everyone here had much more interesting lives than she did, she hadn't read aloud or told any stories in a long time. She almost felt like she was at home. (The Author staggers backwards from her computer, not able to believe she wrote something so cheesy. It's this blasted flu, I swear)
In place of Potions for the next few weeks, the students had a study block. It was only temporary, until Professor Dumbledore could find a new teacher. It was Wednesday of the first week, and Lily was waiting in the Library for Celia to arrive. While she didn't really like tutoring, she knew that it had been a good idea to accept. Students who tutored got bonus points on their N.E.W.T's and O.W.L's. Someone tapped her on the shoulder, and she turned, thinking it was Celia. It was not, rather, it was James Potter, looking sheepish as he held out his charm book to her.
"Lil', I was wondering if you could help me with this charm?" he asked, looking ashamed. Lily smiled brightly
"Sure James. But it'll have to be quick, I have to tutor a first year Gryffindor. " James sat down beside her, and Lily nearly burst out laughing when she looked at the charm. It was a simple Revealing spell, and Lily had learnt it in her 4th year.
"Don't laugh at me, Lily. I really don't get it." James exclaimed, getting angry.
"No, no James. I'll help. Look." Lily pulled out her wand and a book. She opened it to one page, and said "Reveleao" writing began to appear in the book. James grinned.
"Is that your diary?" he asked, picking it up to read the page. Lily grabbed him around the wrist.
"No. Do you think I would put such a simple charm on my diary?" she asked, and regretted it.
"Are you saying that I am stupid Lily?" asked James, still not giving her the book.
"No I am not, James. It's just anyone can figure out how to take the charm off."
"Except me, of course."
"You know that's not what I meant."
"Oh really?"
"Yes, really" Lily reached for the book again, but her arms were too short.
"Promise"
"Yes, now give me my diary!"
"I thought it wasn't your diary." James smiled, and transferred the book to his other hand. Lily glared at him, and then slapped her forehead.
"Oh, of course, I am rather dumb. Accico Book!" she yelled, as the Diary flew over to her. James frowned
"I forgot about that charm" he confessed, just as Lily heard someone clear their throat. It was Celia, and she was looking starry-eyed at James.
"Oh, I am sorry Celia." Lily said "I was just helping James with his charms. Um, Celia Woodgrove, this is James Potter. I don't know if you two know each other."
"Oh, James, you're the chaser for Gryffindor, aren't you?" Celia asked, smiling hugely. Lily stifled a giggle. Celia was obviously rather smitten with her friend.
"Alright Celia, sit down, and we can start. I only have an hour or so, because, in case James forgets, we have a Potions essay due" Lily said, looking pointedly at a grinning James. Celia sat, and opened her books.
"Lil- can I call you that – I am having trouble with pages four to seven."
"Four Pages? But there's how many spells to a page?"
"Five or Six. Can James stay?" Celia said
"I see and yes, if he's dead silent."
"Yes mother." James said, making a face at Lily. Celia laughed as if it was the funniest thing she had ever heard. Lily raised both eyebrows, and smiled a little. Tutoring Celia was going to be fun.
After that first Wednesday, Lily had a little shadow. Celia followed her everywhere that was possible. Lily's friends had gotten used to having Celia pop up at the dinner table, cheer for Lily during a chess match, or come to see Lily in the middle of the night when a bad dream had woken her. And Lily, who had now heard Celia's praises of James countless times, found the whole thing rather funny.
When Professor Dumbledore finally succeeded in finding a replacement for Professor Bare, Potions class began again. The new teacher was called Professor Montgontry, and didn't particularly favor anyone. In fact, she rather liked the Gryffindors.
That particular day, the Professor announced that they would be continuing with their potions. Lily grinned, she couldn't wait to see what it was. They assembled the ingredients, and Lily rescued her book from Sirius.
"Damn it, I don't want to cut off any of my hair" Lily frowned. "It can be used against you, you know?" she said, turning to Angelica, who grinned
"You just want an excuse not to cut it!" she declared.
"So what?" asked Lily, taking her hair out of it's customary ponytail so Angelica could cut it.
"Be sure to get one of the under pieces, alright Gel?"Lily cautioned as her friend neared her with the scissors. Snip. The hair fell to the floor. James bent down, reached under the table, and picked it up for her. When everyone had cut off pieces of hair, they opened their books, and flipped to the page with the spell on it.
"Good, everyone done then? Now, you may commence with the spell. Don't forget to pay close attention to everything." Professor Montgontry said.
Lily opened her book, and read the Potion "It's called the Aegis Potion." She read aloud "It allows you to see a bit of your future. We'll be 21. Oh, no, wait, sorry. You get to interview your future self. Now you can't tell me that that's not weird." She said, looking at her friends.
"How does it work?" asked James, interested
"You drop one hair into a goblet full and say Aegis Ad initium Ad finem"
(A/N Translation: Ages. At the beginning. To the end. It's Latin)
then the person changes into their future selves, and you ask them questions for two minutes. Woah, that's not long at all. Be sure to ask me good questions you guys." Lily said, spooning some potion into a goblet.
"I take it your going first then?" Remus asked her.
"Guess so." Lily dropped the hair in, grimaced, and drank it down. "Aegis Ad initium Ad Finem" She began to change rapidly. Lilys hair became longer, and darker, she grew a few more inches, and her face looked older, and somehow, prettier. Beautiful, James found himself thinking.
"Hello? What do you guys want to ask me?" she said, sitting down beside a rather red-faced James Potter.
"What kind of job do you have?" asked Angelica
"I am an Auror, I work for the Ministry of Magic" Lily replied, twirling the ring on her finger
"Did you graduate with honors?" asked James. He'd really wanted to ask something else.
"Yes. Of course I did. You would have killed me had I not."
"Are you single?" Sirius said, asking the question James had had in mind, and earning a slap upside the head from Angelica.
"No. In fact, I am engaged."
"To who?" asked Remus as James listened carefully.
"Well, he's someone you know, in fact, he's in our year, in Gryffindor, he's….." the spell began to wear off, and the younger Lily blinked her eyes.
"Well?" she asked, looking at her friends.
"You're an Auror. You graduated with honors, and your engaged to someone in Gryffindor, who's in our year." Angelica said promptly
"Who?" Lily asked, flushing.
"We don't know, you came back before we could find out". Explain James rather regretfully.
"Damn" Lily said, spooning some Potion out.
"Me next!" James said. Adding his hair, he drank the potion and said the spell. He grew taller, his hair messier, and his face a little broader. He also became more muscled-probably from all those years of Quiditch-and his eyes sparkled brightly.
"So, James, are you an Auror?" Lily asked, smiling prettily at him. He winked at her, making her blush profusely
"Yes ma'am."
"We're you Head Boy like you always wanted?" Remus asked
"Yes I was."
"Who was Head Girl?" Angelica asked him
"Uh uh. Not saying Miss Ward." James winked at Angelica now, but all she did was glare at him.
"Did we win the house cup at all before we graduated?" asked a disgruntled Sirius.
James grinned so wide, it looked as if he was going to split his face "Ooooh yes! We kicked Slytherin ass!"
"And did Anyone find out about the thing?" Remus asked
"Yep. Lil' did, but don't worry, she hasn't ever told" James exclaimed as he faded into his old self. Lily raised her eyebrows
"What thing is this you guys?"
"Thing?" James asked, confused.
"That I get to find out about." Lily informed him
"Nothing" Remus said.
"I'll drink it!" Sirius said, rather quickly, obviously avoiding the question. Many of the same changes happened to him that had happened to James, except his hair grew longer, and his grin became almost maniacal.
Angelica grinned at him appreciatively "Hello Sirius! You look real nice as an adult" she said, not hiding the fact that she found him very attractive.
"Thank you, Angelica dear"
"Are you an Auror?" asked James
"I am. The best."
"Modest as ever." Lily grumbled
"Pardon me Lily?"
"I asked…uh…are you attached?"
Yes. Oh yes I am! And she's georgous!"
Sirius changed back, and Angelica grabbed the potion, put the hair in, and said the word. Only nothing happened. She sat, seeming almost frozen. Lily waved a hand in front of her face.
"Angelica? What's wrong with her?" She asked
"She won't be here when you guys are grown up. She'll be dead." Snape sneered at her
"She'll be dead by the time she's 21?" Lily demanded, grabbing Severus by the collar of his robes. He loosened himself from her grip.
"You're a liar, Severus Snape! Just shut the hell up! Shut up!" Lily screamed and punched Snape in the nose. He went down and Lily, loosing her balance, followed, not stopping her assault of his features. By the time Professor Montgontry pulled her off, Snape was unconscious, and Angelica had returned to normal.
"What was I like?" she asked. Lily, James, Remus and Sirius exchanged glances
"You're a teacher here, DADA. For three years, breaking the curse!" Lily exclaimed.
"Your fantastically pretty" James put in
"You have one kid, Annabelle."
"Yes, and we are still dating." Sirius said, grinning at Angelica who blushed slightly.
"That's great!" he exclaimed, hugging Sirius happily.
Lily felt her heart stop briefly.
I am going to make sure that it doesn't happen. Ever. She promised herself solemnly