A/N- One of my all time favourite stories is Cinderella. There have been many spin-offs like Ella Enchanted, The Glass Slipper and Ever After (of which this fanfiction is called). Hope you enjoy this James and Lily version.
Disclaimer- I do not own all the characters. I only own the ones you've never read before. Rose, Salazarlina, Tom, Godric, Rowena, Helga and any other name you do not know. Plus, Godric, Rowena and Helga do not refer to the founders of Hogwarts, so they are my characters. Also, any spells that you have not heard of are mine. Let's get started!
This story is dedicated to my beta and dear friend KAT aka Quintessential Bliss.
Ever After
Chapter 1- The Discovery
13th Century AD
'…Ever since father married Lady Slytherin, I've been pushed aside like a servant. I am still Lady Lilyanna Evans; daughter to Baron Tom Evans and the late Rose Evans. But oh, my diary! My father is over-powered by this cruel witch, with her very long black hair and black, beady eyes. And her daughter and my stepsister Petunia Evans, with the same not so long black hair and black beady eyes. How I wish mother was here…'
"Lily!"
Nearly 11 year old Lily ran her slightly dirty but dainty right hand through her waist length auburn hair, ignoring the shrill call of her stepmother. She smoothed her long and plain grey skirt and picked up her quill again she continued writing.
'She's calling me again. Even though I do chores in this house while she and Petunia sit on their asses all day, looking at themselves in a mirror, I still get lectured on the quality of my work…'
"Lily!" again came the shrill call of Lily's stepmother, Salazarlina.
Lily turned to see a very harassed-looking lady burst through the door of her small, unfurnished room. She was wore an elaborate black velvet dress which had long sleeves and a high collar. Her face was red in anger and was panting like she had just run a marathon.
"Baroness Evens," Lily said, stiffly curtsying to the angry woman.
"Don't mock me girl!" she spat, her bad breath wafting over Lily's face, "The silver platters are supposed to be shiny enough for me to be able to see my face in!"
Lily looked inquiringly at the silver plate in her hands. It was as shiny as a newly minted silver penny.
'Figures,' Lily thought, 'She wants to blame and punish me for something.'
"I'm sorry, Baroness Evans," Lily apologised, mockingly, "I'll clean it again straight away."
"You are not getting off that easily," Salazarlina threatened menacingly, her beady black eyes darting from side to side, "You will not go unpunished. You will have no supper tonight."
"No supper?!" Lily complained, "But that's unfair!"
"The servants are going to be notified of your food restriction tonight. I hope this teaches you to do a better job next time."
Lily just stared, open mouthed, at the cruel woman in front of her. Lily's temper rose higher and higher. She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. Her eyes saw red as she stomped her foot hard on the stone floor. That was when her temper finally boiled and…
CRACK
The window in the hallway, just behind Salazarlina, shattered loudly. The clear glass pieces rained onto the floor like snowflakes. Salazarlina was startled but recovered quickly. Instead of blowing her top, as Lily expected her to, she smiled sinisterly.
"Well, well, well…" she said, smiling in a I-know-something-you-don't-know way, "Well, well indeed. This is very interesting. Very well, you may have supper tonight."
She glanced at Lily inquiringly, then turned and strode away quickly, leaving behind a very confused Lily Evans.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Lily half opened her eyes to the soft, grey morning light; stretching and yawning in cat-like grace. She swung her legs over her bed and dressed in a long black skirt, a leaf-coloured shirt and soft, leather shoes. Lily slowly padded down the hallway to the front door, starting her day of chores with getting the mail. She undid the sliding lock and opened the newly painted, black door. On the front step were a few scrolls of parchment. They all were rolled in the same way; the two ends rolled up to meet each other in the middle and secured with a ribbon and the name printed on the flat side. Lily gathered the scrolls up and carried them into the dining room.
This was a very grand room. It had one, long, expertly polished mahogany table with matching chairs that had dark red cushions. One end of the table was being prepared for breakfast so Lily strolled over and placed the scrolls next to her father's knife.
"Good morning Lily," whispered a familiar, gentle voice behind her shoulder.
"Morning father," Lily replied, turning and wrapping her arms around her smiling father.
Lily's father, Baron Thomas Evans, was tall and slim with jet-black hair and Lily's hereditary eyes. He was 31 years old but had a few bags under his eyes.
"Thomas!" called a shrill voice at the dining room entrance.
Lily and Tom turned to see Salazarlina striding towards them. Salazarlina wore a black frock that tightly fit her waist and torso but flared out at the skirt. She swept Tom a warm smile and a kiss but coldly eyed Lily's perfect figure.
"Salazarlina. Good morning," greeted Tom warmly, "Breakfast?"
Both girls nodded and sat down. Salazarlina flicked out her napkin and placed it on her lap, just noticing a particularly thick scroll addressed to Lily. On the top right hand corner was a crest consisting of a shield containing a snake, lion, badger and raven-like bird and a motto. Salazarlina recognised it as a Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry letter. However, Lily also spotted it and reached for it. Salazarlina quickly snatched it up out of the reach of a protesting Lily.
"Hey! That's mine!" Lily protested, looking at her stepmother in disbelief.
"No it isn't," Salazarlina lied coldly as she swept from the room, forgetting about breakfast.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Godric and Rowena beamed at their eleven-year-old son. He had just received his Hogwarts letter and was eagerly circling a large box sitting on his chair.
"Son," Godric said, wrapping his left arm around his wife, "this is a present for getting into Hogwarts."
"Really? Yippee!" shouted James as her tore off the wrapping.
Godric and Rowena watched as their messy-haired son opened the long pine box that contained the most recent broomstick. The Nimbus. James grinned as he ran his fingers through his mop of black hair and pushed his glasses up his nose. James mounted and flew around the huge library.
That was a joyful day for the Royal Family.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Over the next week, Lily continued to receive letters. She surmised that they all were from the same person and that Salazarlina didn't want Lily to receive those letters from that person.
The letters started to arrive more often; up to ten times a day. Sometimes there would be multiple copies on the front step or a copy would sail through an open window. Salazarlina began to take greater measures. Someone was appointed to gather the letters as soon as they arrived and whenever a letter flew through a window, Salazarlina or anyone except Lily or Tom would run off with it.
It became very vexing for Lily. Her curiosity grew more impatient every time she saw one of the special letters. So far, the letters tried to reach her in small ways until the day two weeks after she began to receive the letters.
Tom was away on business yet again. Salazarlina, Petunia and Lily were eating dinner as usual when outside was a chorus of flapping noises. To Lily, it sounded like flapping of many wings but when she glances out of one of the windows, she could see nothing. The noises continued to buzz outside the window throughout dinner and while the plates and cutlery were taken away.
When the last servant disappeared from the room, there was a quiet tap at the window closest to Lily. The three ladies turned to see the window clang open and millions of letters soar through the windows. Petunia panicked and started screaming as the letters floated around the room. Lily smiled as she scrambled onto the table and started to grab some of the letters. Lily laughed as she made to grab the letters fluttering around her head, but silenced when Salazarlina grabbed her waist with both hands and dragged her down to her room. Salazarlina threw all the letters that Lily carried onto the floor and then dumped the struggling child into her room and turned the lock, which she ordered to be fitted onto the door during dinner.
"Let me out! Let me out!" shouted the slightly muffled voice of Lily behind the door, followed by continuous pounding on the door. "Those letters are mine! I have the right to read them. Let me out!"
Salazarlina ignored Lily and flew down the corridors, fetching the servants as she made her way back to the dining room. She ordered that the entire room was to be searched for the letters and all the letters were to be burnt.
That night, Lily cried herself to sleep. Half out of hate and half out of helplessness.
*~*~*~*~*~*
