Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me.
by Auror5
After Potions, Lily and Fiona chatted while heading to the common room.
"Er, excuse me. Lily?"
Lily and Fiona turned to see a boy behind them. Lily regarded him with a puzzled expression on her face. She vaguely recalled seeing him on a few occasions in the common room.
"Erm, could I talk to you for a moment?" he inquired.
Lily glanced at Fiona, and shrugged. "All right."
He looked at Fiona. "You don't mind, do you?"
Fiona brusquely replied, "No."
"Er, okay." He considered Fiona for a brief moment. "Let's go over here." He directed Lily to an area of the corridor presently devoid of students.
"Hi. My name is Frank Longbottom. I'm a fifth year, in Gryffindor. You've probably spotted me in the common room on occasion."
"Erm, yes. Hullo." Lily gazed at him. Frank was attractive, with a stocky build, dark hair, and smoky grey eyes.
"Erm, I was wondering if you would go to the Yule Ball with me. It's the end of this month, just before Christmas holiday."
Lily's face reddened slightly, and she mumbled, "Erm, all right."
He grinned. "Thanks! I'll see you then!"
Lily walked over to Fiona.
"What was that about? Who was he?" Fiona said.
"His name is Frank Longbottom, and he asked me to the Yule Ball."
"So, what did you say?"
"I said that I would."
"You didn't!"
"I did."
"You don't even know him!"
"He seemed nice. Besides, he's a Gryffindor like us."
"So? You're just going to go with any old boy who asks you out?"
"No! Of course not!"
"Well, it seems that way."
"How could you say that? Why are you all of a sudden mad at me?"
"I'm not!"
"Yes, you are!"
"I said that I wasn't, Lily!"
"Okay then, let's drop it!"
Fuming, they proceeded to the common room. As they entered, Fiona said, "Don't you think James will be jealous when he finds out?"
"What?"
"Never mind!" Fiona ran up the stairs leading to the girls' dormitory.
Lily slowly climbed the stairs while wondering what was eating Fiona.
***
About a week before the Yule Ball, Lily received, by owl post, her green velvet dress robe. Lily was excited about the Yule Ball, and that was all she, Daisy, and Ivy had been talking since near the beginning of the month. Daisy was attending the Yule Ball with Philippe Hermann, a fifth year Gryffindor, and Ivy was going with Luis Santiago, the Seeker for the Ravenclaw Quidditch Team.
On the night of the Yule Ball, Lily, Daisy, and Ivy were in the bathroom putting on lipstick. All three had their hair in large appealing ringlets, courtesy of Daisy, who had a flair for creating hairstyles. Daisy wore a frilly, brown dress robe and Ivy, a teal one. They exited the bathroom and returned to their room. When they entered, Fiona leapt from her bed and left the room in a huff. They glanced at each other with a "what is her problem?" expression on their faces. Lily and Fiona's friendship had become strained, and Lily had not a clue why.
"Stand over here," directed Samantha. Lily, Daisy, and Ivy stood close together in front of a window so that Samantha could take their photo.
"Now, smile!" Samantha ordered, and then snapped their picture. Thin tendrils of smoke escaped from the magical camera. Lily could not wait to see how the photo developed, and her only hope was that she did not blink too much in it.
Ivy left the common room to meet Luis Santiago while Lily and Daisy waited in the common room for Frank and Philippe. About a minute later, Frank and Philippe ran noisily downstairs and into the common room where they abruptly halted in front of the girls.
"Hi!" said Frank. "Erm, you look very nice."
"Thanks. Erm, so do you." Frank wore a dark red dress robe.
"Well, let's go to the Great Hall."
Once in the Great Hall, they found a place to sit. Once seated, Lily spotted Craig and Sasha approaching her direction.
"Hello," greeted Craig and Sasha.
"Hi."
"You look very pretty in that dress robe, Lily. It really brings out your eyes. Craigie, doesn't she look pretty?"
"Yeah, and so do you."
Lily and Sasha smiled at him.
"Come, Sasha. I think Virgil and Renee are trying to get our attention."
"All right. Bye, Lily!" Sasha exclaimed as Craig pulled her away by the hand.
Frank informed Lily that the Head Boy and Head Girl and their partners always led the dance after the feast. While they waited for the feast to begin, Lily watched the couples enter the Great Hall and find places to sit. She spied Daisy and Philippe sitting with a group of students at a corner table. Ivy and Luis shared a table with Craig and Sasha along with a number of other Ravenclaws. Most of the students sitting at the table with Lily and Frank were Gryffindors.
"Oy, Frank! Looking real good, chum! Who's the girl?"
Lily glanced in the direction of the voice, and her breath caught in her throat. She thought, He is so gorgeous. A very pretty girl stood beside him.
"Oy, mate! This is Lily Evans. Lily, this is Pravin Patil and his girlfriend, Rahel Singh."
"Hello," greeted Pravin and Rahel.
Lily murmured, "Hello."
"Catch you later, chum." Pravin and Rahel found two seats near one end of the table.
As more couples stopped by to say hello to Frank, Lily discovered that he was quite popular.
Once everyone was seated, the feast began with sumptuous food materializing before each setting. After everyone finished eating, Dumbledore rose and instructed everyone else to do so as well. He waved his wand; the tables cleared the floor, and a platform with musical instruments atop it appeared at the opposite end of the hall.
"Please welcome, Hex2!"
The members of Hex2 rushed onto the platform. Everyone screamed and clapped. The band began to play its hit song, "A Spellbinding Day." The Head Boy and Girl, with their partners, strolled onto the middle of the floor and started dancing. Very soon, other couples joined them.
"Er, would you like to dance?" Frank said to Lily.
"Sure."
They walked out onto the floor and danced. After dancing to a few more numbers, they took a break to get something to drink. While sipping butterbeer, they watched the other couples on the floor. Hex2 began to play a very catchy tune with an excellent fast beat.
"Come, this is a good one!" Franks rose from his chair, and grabbed Lily by the hand.
They ran out onto the floor and danced as exuberantly as everyone else. Lily was having a great time. Soon the band played a slow number. Lily was glad that Frank danced so well for she did not have to worry about her toes being stepped on. While waltzing with Frank, she spotted Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall dancing. She and Frank laughed when they saw Professors Chloride and Flitwick together. Lily caught Professor Konrad dancing quite closely with Professor Arkayika, who appeared miffed. After the song ended, Frank suggested that they walk outside for some fresh air. Once outside, Lily observed other couples strolling about. A few, however, were in the hedges.
"What do your parents do, Lily?"
"My father is a doctor and my mum is a teacher. Erm, what do your parents do?"
"Well, my father died a few years ago when I was twelve."
"Oh! I'm sorry."
"Thanks. My mother works for the Ministry of Magic."
"Longbottom, just what are you doing with a Mudblood?"
They turned to see Macnair with a beautiful blonde on his arm.
"Who are you calling a Mudblood, Macnair?" threatened Frank.
"Why, that witch next to you. What are you going to do about it, Mudblood-lover?"
Frank whipped out his wand. "You have no right to call her such a filthy name, you pathetic, vile git."
"Is that the best you can do, Longbottom?" Macnair responded while pulling out his wand.
"Walden, forget them. Let's go," the blonde girl said while pulling on Macnair's arm.
Frank's eyes flickered over to the girl next to Macnair.
"Well, well, well, Macnair, what are we doing with Snobbins, eh? Does Malfoy know you are with his witch?"
"Shut up, Longbottom," Macnair replied, menacingly.
"My, my, my, Narcissa Snobbins is two-timing Malfoy with this putrid specimen of a human being. Tell me, Narcissa, what made you decide to go from one piece of human rubbish to another?"
Macnair opened his mouth, meaning to cast a curse on Frank, but before he could do so, Frank yelled, "Expelliarmus."
Macnair was thrown backward, pulling Narcissa Snobbins down with him. Frank caught Macnair's wand.
"May
I ask what is going on here?"
Macnair quickly stood, and helped Snobbins to her feet. "Sir, Longbottom insulted Narcissa, and robbed me of my wand! In so doing, he knocked both of us to the ground."
"Now, now, Longbottom, you ought to know that that is unacceptable behaviour. You are a Prefect, correct?"
"Professor, I was only defending Lily. Macnair called her a Mudblood!"
"Be that as it may, it was wrong for you to attack Macnair and Snobbins unprovoked. Return Macnair's wand."
"But, sir!"
"Enough, Longbottom! Return Macnair's wand. NOW!"
Frank threw the wand at Macnair.
"Fifty points from Gryffindor for your unprovoked aggression, Longbottom. Macnair and Snobbins, you two follow me."
Macnair smirked as he walked past them, and Snobbins coldly glared at them both.
"Expletive," muttered Frank. "Er, sorry. I shouldn't have said that.
"Aye, I'm so angry! It was grossly unfair of Konrad to punish us! He favours the Slytherins, especially the foul ones like Macnair. In fact, it seems as though the more foul they are, the more he likes them. Come; let's go back inside. It's cold out here." He gently took Lily by the hand, and they headed back to the castle.
"Er, thanks for defending me."
Frank turned to her. "You're welcome."
They returned indoors, with Lily reflecting on what just occurred. She was starting to think that Professor Konrad was a very bad wizard.
***
The day after the Yule Ball, Lily noted a number of girls glaring at her, and whispering amongst themselves as she passed by them. During History of Magic, on the following day, Catherine Indigo and Tamara Green acted chilly towards Lily. She thought, Really! This is becoming ridiculous! What did I do? Lily vowed to confront Catherine and Tamara after the lesson is over. Once class ended, Lily quickly caught up with them.
"Erm, could I talk to you two?"
Catherine and Tamara glanced at each other. "All right," Tamara responded.
"How come everyone is being so snotty to me?"
"Well, you stole Diana Pheasant's boyfriend," answered Catherine.
"What! Who's Diana? I didn't steal anyone's boyfriend! I don't even have one!"
"Didn't you go to the Yule Ball with Frank Longbottom?" Tamara questioned.
"Yes, but he isn't my boyfriend. He just asked me to go to the Ball with him. That's all!"
Catherine sighed. "Diana likes Frank a lot. Jorkins said that Diana spent most of the time crying in a girls' toilet during the Yule Ball because it hurt her so much to see you with Frank."
Lily stared at them with a stricken expression on her face. "Why, how was I supposed to know? He didn't tell me he had a girlfriend!"
"Well, they aren't really boyfriend and girlfriend, yet. She just likes him a whole lot," Tamara stated.
"It's not my fault! I didn't know!"
"We understand now," said Catherine.
"Who is Diana?"
"She's in Ravenclaw with us. She's a fourth year," Tamara replied.
"Oh. Could you tell her that I'm sorry? Please tell her I didn't know, and that she can have Frank, if she wants him."
"All right. I'll tell her," responded Catherine.
"Thanks."
Catherine and Tamara walked off.
***
On the day before the start of Christmas vacation, Frank Longbottom stopped Lily in a corridor after lessons had ended for the day.
"Erm, can I speak with you for a moment?"
Lily sighed. "All right."
"Let's go in this room in case Jorkins is nearby."
Lily followed him into an empty classroom.
"Erm, I just wanted to apologise to you. I didn't know Diana liked me. I would have asked her to the Yule Ball, but I thought she didn't like me. That's how she acted, as though she didn't like me." He frowned for a moment.
"Anyway, it's all sorted out now. I know that she likes me, so we're going to visit each other during the Christmas holidays. You're not angry with me, are you?"
Lily, trying not to laugh, said, "No."
He appeared relieved. "So, you accept my apology?"
Lily smiled. "Yes."
"Good. Have a Merry Christmas, Lily!" Frank ran up the corridor, and then did a little hop when he reached the end of it.
Lily laughed, and proceeded to follow his steps to the common room alone.
***
About a month after the Christmas holiday, Lily and Fiona's relationship still had not improved. Fiona spent most of her time with Samantha. Lily spent most of her time with Daisy and Ivy. One day, Lily cornered Samantha to demand why Fiona did not want to be friends with her anymore. Appearing very uncomfortable, Samantha told Lily that she must ask Fiona herself.
Lily was sprawled on her bed, alone in the room, writing a letter to her parents when Fiona stepped in. Fiona froze when she saw Lily, and then turned to leave.
"No! Wait, Fiona! Don't you dare leave!" Lily leapt from her bed, and rushed to the door to prevent Fiona from escaping. Snowball slipped under the bed.
"Let me pass, Lily!"
"NO! Why are you acting this way? I thought we were best friends!" Lily's voice trembled.
"I don't want to talk about it! Now, LET ME PASS!"
"NO! YOU'RE BEING A BRAT, FIONA!"
"I'M NOT!"
"YES, YOU ARE! Why don't you like me anymore, Fiona? I thought we were best friends! What did I do wrong? Please tell me!" Tears rolled down Lily's cheeks.
"All right! You want to know?" There were tears standing in Fiona's eyes. "It's because I feel so dreadfully ugly when I'm with you."
"What?"
"You heard me! You, Daisy, and Ivy were asked to the Yule Ball. Samantha and I were left out. We're just two ugly hags no boy would like. Look at all the boys who like you! Some boy even bought you an expensive gift. No boy would do that for Samantha and me! They don't even notice us. We're too ugly for them!"
Lily was stunned speechless. Fiona was jealous of her!
"I'm going," Fiona mumbled.
"No! Please don't go, Fiona!" Lily exclaimed while grabbing Fiona's arm.
"Gerroff me, Lily!"
"NO! And you aren't ugly! I don't know why you even think that way. You aren't ugly, and I'm not just saying that!"
"If I'm not ugly, then how come I see boys looking at you all the time? How come I hear people saying, 'Lily is so pretty with her delicate features and striking green eyes,' and 'Oh, Daisy is so pretty with her gold hair and peaches and cream complexion,' and 'Ivy is so pretty with her long, dark curls, and golden skin?' No one says anything like that about Samantha and me!"
"Fiona, you aren't ugly. It's true! I think you are very pretty!"
"Then how come no one else thinks so?" Fiona walked to her bed, sank onto it, and sobbed.
"All the boys look at you three," she cried. "A fifth year asked you to the Yule Ball. I even caught a few of the younger professors, like Konrad, sneaking peeks at you, Ivy, and Daisy."
Lily grimaced upon hearing the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor's name. She sat down next to Fiona, and sighed.
"I don't know why they don't notice you, Fi. Maybe you're like the rose and we're like orchids, the showy flowers. They don't see the rose because the showy orchids are in the way. One day, they will find a rose behind the orchids, and ask themselves how come they never noticed that beautiful rose before. You are the rose, Fi. You're beautiful."
Fiona put her arms around Lily and hugged her tight. "Lily, you're the best friend anyone could have in this entire world," she bawled. "I'm sorry that I was so rotten to you. I hope we stay best friends forever."
***
In early March, during breakfast, a package arrived for Lily. Lily opened it, and found a framed painting of a green, rolling countryside dotted with trees and bisected by a clear stream. Two unicorns ambled onto the scene and began drinking water from the brook. Lily exclaimed in surprise.
"Did your parents send you that?" Fiona said with her mouth full.
"No."
Fiona frowned, and swallowed. "Then who did?"
"I don't know."
"D'you think it's from the same person who sent the enchanted glass?"
"Yes."
Lily gazed at the scene in the painting with a dreamy, peaceful expression on her face. She felt herself being drawn into it when suddenly someone yanked on the back of her robe.
"You don't want to do that," Virgil laughed. "At least not here."
"Why? What kind of painting is it?"
"It's a Pacifera. When you're stressed or feeling unhappy, just gaze into the painting and you will end up right in it."
"What? You mean I'll be sucked right into the painting?" Lily said, incredulously.
Virgil laughed. "Yes, something like that. So, you don't want to do it here. Wait until you are in your room. Did your parents buy that for you?"
"No."
"Oh. Then who did?"
"I don't know."
"Lily, did you receive another mystery gift?" Sasha inquired.
"Yes, she did," answered Fiona.
"What is it?" said Craig.
"A Pacifera Painting," Virgil responded.
Craig whistled. "Those are expensive. Blimey, Lily, some boy must really love you to spend so much money. And you have no idea who it is?"
"No."
"We must figure out who it is, Lily," Fiona whispered. "I'll ask Mum to give us a list of the richest wizarding families. She wrote an article on prominent wizarding families awhile back for Witch Weekly."
"That...."
She never completed her thought for at that moment the Great Hall was blasted by a Howler sent to James.
***
About a week later, during breakfast, Capricorn landed in front of Fiona with a rolled piece of parchment tied to his leg. Fiona removed the parchment and gave Capricorn some bacon. The owl hooted softly in appreciation.
"Here it is! Mum sent the list."
Lily peered over Fiona's shoulders, and read the following names: Malfoy, Dumbledore, Crouch, Longbottom, Skower, Konrad, Figg, Ollivander, Patil, Snobbins, Bott, and Rookwood.
"Erm, it doesn't help," Lily said, feeling a bit disappointed.
"Yes, it does. There's Longbottom, Dumbledore, and Konrad on the list."
"So? Longbottom is dating Diana Pheasant. Remember? They like each other very much. Dumbledore wouldn't have sent me those gifts, and neither would Konrad. That would be really weird."
"How about Malfoy or Patil?"
"Lucius Malfoy hates me!" Lily exclaimed. "Besides, I think he's seeing Snobbins."
"Oh, yeah. How about Patil?"
"He's awfully gorgeous, but he's dating Singh."
"Erm, I guess we'll have to think about this some more." Fiona glanced at her watch. "We better go or else we'll be late for Muggle Studies."
Later that day, Fiona came up with a proposal. "I have an idea," Fiona whispered while they were in the library.
"What is it?"
"For the next three weeks, I'll pay attention to the boys in our lessons. I'll write down the names of the boys who stare at you the most. It would have to be one of them."
"That should work."
***
In mid-April, after lessons ended for the day and just before supper, Lily and Fiona walked over to near the edge of the lake and sat down.
"I have the list of boys who stare at you the most." Fiona waved the parchment in front of Lily.
"Let's see it."
Fiona placed the parchment on the ground in front of them. Lily read the following names: Oliver Arbuckle, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, Severus Snape, Boris Henchman, Toby Brentwood, Wilhelm Konrad, and Argus Filch.
"Konrad? FILCH?"
Fiona giggled. "I just threw those in for fun."
"The question is, Fi, which of these boys are rich enough to send me those gifts? None of their names were on your mum's list!"
"Perhaps the boy who sent them is a thief."
"Noooo!"
Fiona laughed. "You never know!"
Lily sighed. "Well, it must be one of them. D'you think it's James?"
"Erm, he does seem to like you, but do you think he would be secretive about it? He's so wild! It just doesn't seem like that would be his style. I'm sure he would come right out and tell you if he loved you, eh?"
"Yes, I think so," she murmured while reminiscing of the day James kissed her in an empty classroom.
"We better go. Supper will be served shortly."
They stood, and headed back toward the castle.
***
One day, in early May, James did not show up for breakfast or History of Magic. Lily and Fiona asked Peter if he knew anything about his whereabouts. Peter sadly informed them that his mother died, and that he had left for home during the night. Lily and Fiona gasped upon hearing the news. The next morning, courtesy of Jorkins, the students find out that Lord Voldemort was responsible for the death of James' mother. Lily and Fiona managed to obtain a copy of the Daily Prophet from Craig.
He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named Kills 13 at Bones' Residence
by Rita Skeeter, Intern
Once again, You-Know-Who has struck with a savage vengeance. Last night, the Ministry of Magic received several reports of the Dark Mark hovering over the Bones' home. The Ministry quickly dispatched officials onto the scene. When they arrived, according to Liam McKinnon, a very handsome and unhappily married man, they discovered the bodies of thirteen people in the home. Apparently, the Bones were hosting their monthly gathering of friends for supper when all were killed. Thankfully, the Bones' four children were unharmed. The youngest three were found hiding beneath an Invisibility Cloak in one of the children's rooms. Sydney Bones, age nine, recounted what happened.
"I was in my room playing Owl Flight with Anna. Then we heard screaming and loud voices. I told Anna to stay. I went and peeked out, and saw a bunch of wizards in black with their wands out. They were pointing them at my mum and dad, and their friends. Then this wizard started laughing, and I got scared. He said a spell, and I saw a flash of green light. I ran to my room and grabbed my cloak, and told Anna to come with me. We ran into Teddy's room, and climbed into his crib. Then I put my cloak over us. I was scared, and Anna started to cry, so I told her to be real quiet. Then a wizard with a mask came into the room, and then he left."
McKinnon forbade me to question the child further for he was in shock. Sydney was then rushed to an undisclosed and guarded room at Ste. Ayla's Magical Children's' Hospital. The Bones' surviving children will likely be placed with relatives.
Michael Bones, the eldest, is a fourth year student at Hogwarts. Michael along with James Potter and Sharon Windows were notified of their parents' deaths, and have since returned home from Hogwarts.
The list of those murdered by You-Know-Who and his supporters, known as Death Eaters, were Stephen and Jacqueline Bones, Terrence and Barbara Windows, Elizabeth Potter, Marissa Stingray, Joseph and Edith Moonbeam, Lilac Tapestand, Gregory Peters, Vincent and Wednesday Morse, and Helen Atlas.
When will the killings cease? What is the Ministry of Magic doing to stop You-Know-Who?
"My dad is not unhappily married," Fiona shouted, indignantly.
"What's a Dark Mark?" said Lily.
"I don't know," responded Fiona.
After lessons ended for the day, Lily created a large and colourful sympathy card for James. On the following day, with Fiona's assistance, she circulated the card, and requested that everyone sign it. Getting the Slytherins to cooperate proved to be a challenge. Inga Erstwhilst, Tara Yolke, and Azusa Kernville absolutely refused to sign the card. After Lily finally convinced Boris Henchman and Tabitha Furnace to sign it, she walked over to Severus Snape, Evan Rosier, and Damien Wilkes.
"Erm, will you sign this card? It's for James."
"No," Rosier immediately responded.
Annoyed, Lily snapped, "Why?"
"Because we don't want anything to do with that spoiled, four-eyed git," replied Wilkes.
Lily glared at him with clenched teeth. "His mum was killed."
Rosier snorted. "So? It's not our fault Potter's mum came to sticky end."
"You're an awful, rotten, foul, unfeeling person, Rosier!"
He stared at her coldly. "If I were you, Evans, I would watch what I say."
"You don't scare me." She gazed at him with utmost contempt, and then asked Severus to please sign the card.
Severus gazed over her head with a chilly look in his piercing, black eyes, and his lips thinned. He took the quill from her, mumbled under his breath, "Only for you, Lily," and scribbled his name on the card. Then he, Rosier, and Wilkes walked away.
***
James, Michael Bones, and Sharon Windows, both of Hufflepuff, returned to school just prior to the end of the year exams. Lily and the rest of her classmates noticed that James was very subdued and often appeared sad. Lily felt terrible for him, and tried to imagine what it would be like if she lost her mother. One night, after some last minute studying in the library, Lily, on her way to the common room, happened to see James walking dispiritedly in a corridor. Quickly, she caught up with him.
"I'm so terribly sorry about your mum."
"Thanks," he sadly responded.
Lily observed tears in his eyes. Impulsively, she threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. James broke down and cried while holding onto her as though he were clinging to a raft on a stormy sea.