Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me.
by Auror5
The mournful atmosphere hanging over Hogwarts was slow to dissipate, with Kristin's death remaining in the back of nearly every student's mind. The Gryffindors acted out their grief on the Quidditch pitch. Wearing black armbands on their scarlet robes, they dedicated their first game, in November, to Kristin Dewdroppe. Their first match was against Slytherin, whom they flattened. The final score was 150 to zero. Fiona caught the Golden Snitch within seven minutes of the game and established a new school record for the shortest game ever recorded.
There were more scuffles than normal, mainly between the Slytherins, who still smarted over their embarrassing Quidditch performance, and the Gryffindors. Many Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws sided with the Gryffindors, with some students referring to the Slytherins as "Minions of the Dark Lord." There were numerous skirmishes between lessons with the Slytherins. Madam Pomfrey complained to Professor Dumbledore about the hospital wing being crowded with students suffering from various curses and hexes. On several different occasions, Lily found herself trying to prevent Fiona and Snape from casting curses at one another. Fiona had developed a very active and irrational dislike for Snape and made it a point to make unflattering remarks about his appearance.
One day, Lily was unsuccessful in her attempt to stop Fiona and Snape from casting spells at each other. Fiona placed the Bush Curse on Snape, which resulted in Snape ending up with very bushy hair that stood sixty centimetres from his head in all directions. At the same time as Fiona threw her curse, Snape cast a hex that left Fiona unable to speak. Everyone guffawed as Snape, with his bushy, electrified appearance, made his way to the hospital wing. Lily tried, with much difficulty, not to laugh at Snape. She gripped Fiona tightly to prevent her from kicking Snape in the bum, which Fiona desperately attempted to accomplish. Fiona stayed in the hospital wing for two days to resize her vocal cords. It turned out that Snape shrank them to a microscopic size. The Slytherins lost one hundred points and Snape had to clean bedpans in the hospital wing. The Gryffindors lost fifty points for Fiona's use of magic in the corridors.
In December, before the start of Christmas vacation, a number of students were having a snowball fight when they suddenly spotted a giant snowman, two stories tall with flashing red eyes and a ghastly grin, peeking around one of the castle walls at them. The snowman then lumbered toward the terrified students. Panic immediately ensued, with many students running and screaming that You-Know-Who was after them. Some of the girls fainted with fright or lapsed into hysterics. A few boys simply became frozen in place, with mouths open in a silent scream, and urinated in their trousers without realising it. Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, and Konrad ran outside the castle when they heard the students shrieking and wailing in terror. They immediately destroyed the giant snowman. Shortly after, Hagrid discovered James and Sirius hiding between some hedges, rolling around in the snow, and laughing their heads off. Needless to say, Professor McGonagall was furious. First, she screamed at them for ten minutes, and then she dragged them painfully by their ears to the headmaster's office.
Lily, still shaking from her initial fright, burst into hysterical laughter after discovering that the giant snowman was an elaborate joke by James and Sirius. Fiona, face pale, became alarmed when Lily was still laughing wildly fifteen minutes later. She then marched Lily to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey gave Lily a draught of some restful, lavender coloured liquid to calm her down. The next morning, the Gryffindors learned that they had lost two hundred points because of James and Sirius, and they were quite angry. Sirius and James were also forced to clean all of the toilets on the first two floors of the castle, without magic, as punishment.
In early March, the Gryffindors submarined the Hufflepuffs. The final score was two hundred and ten to zero. Fierce determination was seen on the Gryffindor players' faces at the start of the Quidditch game, which they dedicated to Dewdroppe. Again, they wore black armbands on their scarlet robes. Ravenclaw would play the Gryffindors in early May. The Ravenclaws were nervous about the impending game. "I just hope we score at least ten points," Anthony Zephyr was overhead saying to Robert Johnson.
Lily was performing well in each of her lessons, especially Charms, Transfiguration, Astronomy, and Care of Magical Creatures, her favourite subjects. Seeing that Lily had a talent for healing, Professor Sandolini allowed her to assist with curing a wounded baby unicorn.
***
Sighing and rubbing her eyes, Lily ended her study of Healing Charms for the night. She picked up her belongings, stuffed them into her bag, and exited the library for the Gryffindor common room. She briskly, but quietly, walked through the corridors. At one point, she heard footfalls behind her and glanced back. Fear quickly permeated her, for it was Malfoy several paces behind her. Lily continued to walk swiftly while not looking back. She wished that she had her wand with her. Unfortunately, she left it, along with her robe, on top of her trunk. She spied a girls' toilet and entered. Once inside, she leaned against the wall and caught her breath. After a few minutes, Lily relaxed, and was about to the leave the room when the door opened. It was Lucius Malfoy. Her heart leapt into her throat, and before she could do anything, he grabbed her. He then lifted her up, flipped her upside down, and strolled into one of the stalls.
Suspending her over a toilet, he sneered, "This is where Mudblood filth belongs." He began to lower her, head first, into the toilet.
Lily reached out and grabbed onto the toilet seat with both hands.
"Gerroff me, Malfoy," she said in a tight voice.
Just then, a group of girls entered the room. Malfoy quickly turned her right side up, placed her onto the ground, and put both of his hands tightly over her mouth while shoving her against him. Lily silently struggled to remove his hands.
"Jorkins said that she overheard Pierson telling Eugenia that he loved her."
"No! He didn't!" gasped a girl.
"He did so, according to Jorkins."
"Why, isn't he going out with Violet? I saw him holding hands with her one day!"
"Oh dear, Pierson is two-timing Eugenia and Violet! A week ago, I saw Pierson kissing Michelle!"
"NO!"
"I did!"
"Really! What an arse! Perhaps we should tell Eugenia. She's dead gone on him, you know."
"Aye, perhaps we should. Come, let's go."
They heard the girls exiting the toilet. Malfoy let go of her mouth, quickly grabbed her hair, and pulled it.
"Listen carefully, Mudblood. I have your hair wrapped tightly around my fist. One peep from you, I will yank every strand out, and take your scalp along with them."
He pushed her ahead of him while gripping her hair tightly. Lily could hardly move her head without feeling as though all of her hair would be yanked out at once. They left the girls' toilet. He swiftly marched her down several corridors. They met no one. After a time, she found herself in a downward sloping corridor. It seemed vaguely familiar to her. They proceeded downward, a bit steeply, and soon the floor began to level out. She realised with dread that it was the corridor she found herself in a little over a year ago. Terror filled her as she noticed the familiar moss covered brick wall and uneven stone floor. Soon the heavy, oak door appeared in the gloom. Malfoy pushed it open, and shoved her in while letting go of her hair. Lily turned and faced Malfoy in the gloom.
Malfoy pulled out his wand, pointed it at her, and said, "Imperio."
Before the curse completely left his mouth, Lily dived for the bone-strewn floor. The curse whooshed over her head and sent her hair flying. Lily immediately leapt up and made a run for the door. Nearly there, Malfoy stuck out his foot. She tripped over it, screamed, and fell to the floor. Lily rolled over onto her back as he knelt over her. She fought him with fists and nails. Malfoy punched her in the face, and warm blood spurted from her nose. Lily continued to swing out at him with her fists. Hovering over her, he placed both hands around her throat and began to squeeze. Lily struggled, trying to tear his fingers from her neck. Choking and in desperation, she lifted both knees and with all her strength kicked out and connected squarely with his groin. The fingers around her throat immediately let go. Gasping painfully for air, Lily pushed herself backward while blood poured from her nose. Malfoy was doubled-up on the floor writhing and moaning in agony. Lily stood, and backed up toward the door. She fumbled for the knob, opened the door, and ran out.
She ran through the corridors uncaring about potentially being caught by Filch. Occasionally, Lily glanced back to see whether Malfoy was pursuing her. After what seemed like an eternity, Lily reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"You look terrible, my dear," commented the Fat Lady.
Ignoring her, Lily panted, "Pa-Pa-Patronus."
"That's right."
The portrait swung open, and she stumbled inside while furtively glancing around to ensure that no one observed her. She ran upstairs, into the second year girls' room, and noticed that it was empty, except for Snowball. He meowed at her. Ignoring him, she picked up her wand and rushed into the girls' bathroom, which was empty. Lily looked into the mirror and saw a spectacular bruise swelling on the left side of her face, bruises on her neck, and blood streaming from her nose. The entire front of her shirt was stained with blood. For a moment, she stood there staring at herself and cried.
Pulling herself together, Lily pointed her wand at her face and said, "Evanesco." Nothing happened. She repeated the charm. Still nothing happened. She took a deep breath. Mustering every bit of concentration, Lily repeated, "Evanesco." The bruise vanished from her face. She did the same for her neck. Lily mopped the blood from her face with paper towels. Her nose continued to bleed, but not as profusely as before. She pinched her nostrils between her fingers for a moment. Placing a wad of tissue into each nostril, Lily pointed her wand at her shirt and nasally said, "Disaparecer." The blood vanished from her shirt.
Lily stepped into a stall, sat on a toilet while holding tissue to her nose, and waited for the bleeding to stop. About twenty minutes later, the bleeding ceased. Eventually, she walked downstairs into the common room and spotted Fiona, Ivy, Oliver, and Remus playing Exploding Snap.
"May I join?"
"Sure! Where have you been? I thought you were in the library, but Remus went to check, and you weren't there," stated Fiona.
"Oh. I was probably on my way here."
"You look pale," observed Remus. "Are you ill?"
"No. I'm fine."
Later that night, she awakened the girls with the old nightmare. This time, the kitten turned into a baby before it was killed. In the dream, Lily sobbed, over and over, "I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry." Like the previous nightmares, it ended with cold laughter and terrible green light. When Lily awoke in the morning, she vowed to herself that she would never venture outside the Gryffindor common room alone as long as Malfoy and Macnair were in Hogwarts.
***
"Miss Evans."
Lily stopped and turned when she heard Professor Konrad calling her. Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson had ended, and she and the rest of the students were heading for the door.
"Sir?"
"I want to speak with you for a moment, in private." He stared coldly at Fiona. "McKinnon, leave. You do know what private means, eh?"
Fiona, with face red, walked toward the door.
"And close the door behind you, McKinnon."
She slammed the door shut.
"Little bitch."
Lily blanched upon hearing Professor Konrad speaking in such a manner, and about a student who happened to be her best friend.
"Now then, Miss Evans. We must have a talk, shall we? You can come a little closer, can't you?"
Lily hesitated, and then moved to the edge of his desk. She felt very uncomfortable with Professor Konrad watching her with an unreadable expression on his face.
"It has come to my attention that you like to tease the older boys."
"What?" Lily was completely taken aback.
"Is it true, Miss Evans, that you met Malfoy in an unused room below the castle last week?"
"No! That isn't true!"
"Really? That isn't what I heard from Malfoy, Miss Evans. Are you telling me that Malfoy is a liar?"
"But, sir, that isn't what happened."
"I don't believe you, Miss Evans." He gazed at her coldly, and then sneered, "I know your type."
Lily was very confused. "Professor, I don't understand."
"All right, Miss Lily Tease Evans. I will get to the point. Lucius Malfoy is eighteen years old, a Prefect, and your superior. You do what he tells you to do. Is that clear?"
Flabbergasted, Lily stared at him.
"Is that clear, Miss Evans?"
"But, sir...."
"IS THAT CLEAR, MISS EVANS?"
"Yes." Tears of anger stung her eyes.
"I do not want to hear of you striking Malfoy or any student in my house ever again. Is that clear, Miss Evans?"
"Yes, Professor," she responded curtly while holding back tears.
"Fifty points from Gryffindor and detention for you, Miss Evans, for your blatant disobedience and disrespect for your superiors. You will be informed of the date of your detention later. You may leave now."
Lily walked stiffly out the door, and marched up the corridors. Fiona tagged along behind, and tried to keep up.
"Lily? Lily? What happened?"
"I hate him, Fi! I hate him!" Tears of fury rolled down her face.
"What did he do?" Fiona gazed at Lily with a shocked and baffled expression on her face.
"The wretched git subtracted fifty points from Gryffindor and gave me detention."
"WHAT! Why?"
"For disobeying, Malfoy."
"Malfoy? When?"
"It doesn't matter, Fi! I hate him! I don't know why I liked him in the first place."
"Triwizard Tournament."
They stepped into the common room.
The following week, she found out that her detention consisted of cleaning the Potions room under Professor Chloride's close supervision.
***
During the rest of April, Lily avoided looking at or speaking to Professor Konrad in Defence Against the Dark Arts, except when absolutely necessary. She was angry and hurt for being so unfairly treated. She had a difficult time understanding why Professor Konrad punished her. Also, Lily suspected that Malfoy was not disciplined. The mere thought of Malfoy not being punished outraged her. On a few occasions, she caught him staring malevolently at her from across the Great Hall.
Lily was touched and amused by Fiona's reaction to Professor Konrad. Lily did not tell Fiona what all occurred between her and Malfoy. She glossed over the details. Nevertheless, Fiona became angry with Konrad. In Defence Against the Dark Arts, Fiona glared at Konrad and made snide comments about him under her breath while he was speaking. Eventually, she crossed the line by becoming rather disrespectful towards him. Consequently, Gryffindor lost another fifty points and Fiona received detention.
***
In early May, the Gryffindors geared up for their impending Quidditch match with the Ravenclaws. The game was in three days. As it stood, both the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors were undefeated. Lily noticed that the Ravenclaw team members seemed nervous about the match. Zephyr was overheard again expressing his hope that Ravenclaw scored at least ten points.
Finally, the day of the long awaited match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw arrived. There was a tense excitement in the air. The Gryffindor team, wearing black armbands on their scarlet robes, entered the field. As with the other matches, they dedicated their game to Dewdroppe. The Slytherins loudly booed and hissed at the Gryffindors. However, the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs drowned out the Slytherins by stomping their feet on the stands. Then the Ravenclaw team stepped into the pitch. The Ravenclaws, in the stands, and, oddly, the Slytherins stood and cheered.
Tory, a Ravenclaw Chaser, scored within the first ten minutes of the game. The Ravenclaws in the stands erupted wildly. Lily, Daisy, Ivy, and Samantha's faces fell. About a half hour later, the score was one hundred to ten, the Gryffindors in the lead thanks to James excellent Chaser skills. Lily and the rest of the Gryffindors screamed wildly for their team. The Ravenclaws were disappointed and anxious.
An hour later, the score was 150 to 20, with the Gryffindors still in the lead. Everyone wondered when the Golden Snitch would appear for it had not been spotted yet. Within fifteen minutes, the Ravenclaws scored thirty points. Shortly afterward, Fiona spotted the Golden Snitch. Luis Santiago, the Ravenclaw Seeker, did not have a prayer of reaching it. Fiona was too quick. She snatched it easily, and raised her closed fist high into the air. The final score was 300 to 50. The Gryffindors won the Quidditch Cup. Lily jumped up and down while screaming as though she were mad.
Strider Louvre, Ravenclaw's team captain, walked up to the Gryffindor captain and shook her hand. Using the Sonorus Charm, for everyone to hear, Louvre told Marina Britannica, Gryffindor's captain, that if any house deserved the Quidditch Cup, it was Gryffindor. Everyone, except the Slytherins who had mostly left the field, wildly cheered. Each member of the Ravenclaw team clasped hands with the Gryffindor team members. Britannica, with tears streaming down her face, raised the Quidditch Cup high into the air and shouted, "For Kristin!" Lily and the rest of the Gryffindors flew down the stands and stormed the Quidditch pitch. Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall were spotted wiping their eyes.
***
At breakfast, three days before the students returned home, two owls, carrying a package, landed in front of Lily and knocked her goblet of pumpkin juice over. One of the owls began eating food from her plate.
"Oy! Be careful, you two!"
She opened the package and discovered a square black box delicately engraved with gold and blue markings. Lily unclasped the box and lifted the lid. An object floated from it and hovered about thirty centimetres above the table.
"WOW!" Fiona's mouth dropped open. "That's Merlin's Enchanted Glass! Why, those are expensive!"
Enraptured, Lily gazed at the beautiful glass ball. It looked remarkably like a soap bubble, very delicate appearing. She could see a rainbow of colours shimmering across its surface. Inside the bubble or glass, a fairy sat by a pond and brushed her hair. The fairy also swung her feet, back and forth, in the water. She was clothed in a very short, green skirt, tied on one side. Her sleeveless, green shirt covered only the upper half of her body, leaving her midriff bare. Lily pads floated dreamily on the pond. Lily noticed, with wonder, that the fairy girl had her face and hair. She reached out, palm facing up, and the glass ball gently lowered onto it. Then it began to sound a beautiful, haunting melody.
"Why, it is so beautiful." Lily said, softly. The light from the glowing glass ball shined golden upon her face.
A number of Gryffindors gathered around to obtain a closer look at Lily's gift. Also, a few Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and Slytherins walked over to see what the attraction was about.
"Who is it from?" said Bertha Jorkins.
"I don't know," Lily whispered. She then picked up the card that came with it. The only name on it was hers. "It doesn't say." She looked at the front and back of the card.
"Some fellow must really love you, Lily," Craig teased.
Lily blushed.
"It's true," agreed Dina Ridgemore, a fifth year Slytherin. "Those are only given by wizards to witches they love. Merlin's Enchanted Glass captures what is in the wizard's heart and then places it inside the ball. I wish Vader would give me an Enchanted Glass," she pouted.
"Well, it seems as though the wizard who gave it to her wishes to remain anonymous," remarked Virgil.
"I wish I could give Sasha an enchanted glass." Craig gazed longingly over at the Ravenclaw table.
Fiona snorted.
"Only someone from a wealthy wizarding family can afford to give something like that. They cost about three hundred Galleons," stated Jorkins condescendingly.
"Lily, why don't you put it away now, and keep it safe. Merlin's Enchanted Glass is very fragile," Melissa Snoflache suggested.
She carefully placed the glass into its box, and latched it closed. Lily wondered who could have sent her such a lovely present.
***
Three days later, the students departed Hogwarts for home.
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To those who read Lily: The Hogwarts Years: No spoilers in your reviews, please. ^_~