Chapter 1
Lily sat at the Gryffindor House table across from Peter Pettigrew and smiled uneasily at him. Even though they had attended Durmstrang together Lily had never known Peter that well. She did, however, know him well enough to talk to and her uneasiness of being a 3rd year transfer student needed at least that small reassurance that there was someone else in the same boat as her.
"So, who is your cousin again?"
Peter pointed down to a group of kids that looked to be at least a year older than them, "The one with the dark messy hair and glasses."
Lily leaned forward and nodded. Peter's cousin, James Potter, was sitting in the center of the Gryffindor House table. A girl to his right was leaning into him laughing as the boy on his left leaned forward to high five the boy sitting across from James. Their laughter rang out loud and clear and they all seemed to know each other well and be in high spirits. At first glimpse James looked like a normal fourteen-year-old boy but Lily could tell just by the way the 1st years watched him longingly or how the older kids sitting around them managed to be involved with the conversation, he was favored. Lily could see he was a tall boy and though his pure black hair did look messy and unmanaged it seemed to fit him well and not look awkward.
Suddenly one of the boys sitting with Peter's cousin stood up on his seat, "Attention! Can I have everybody's attention?"
"Black, sit down!" Someone shouted across the Great Hall and the boy standing pointed at the voice.
"You zip it, Diggory. I have an announcement!" Black who was also tall with dark hair and a handsome, cold face, glanced around the Hall to make sure he had everybody's full attention before continuing, "James Potter is officially giving up his spot on the Gryffindor House Quidditch team."
There was a audible gasp heard around the entire Great Hall and Lily glanced around at the shocked faces.
The guys around "Black" were laughing hysterically as the two of the girls sitting with them shook their heads, looking as if they were wanting to roll their eyes.
"Potter is officially giving up his spot as Keeper to become a Cheerleader for the team."
The Great Hall erupted in laughter and Black leaned over to high five a boy on one side of Potter.
"Yup, he's going to wear the cute skirts and all."
"Mr. Black, that is enough from you. Have a seat before I take points from Gryffindor for showing the 1st years how not to behave at dinner." One of the more stern looking Professors said from the head table.
"Get your cameras ready ladies because it's going to be quite a sight." Sirius added before doing as he was told and sitting back down. Lily watched as he grinned up at the Professor that had scolded him. Turning Lily saw the teacher's mouth twitch at the corners as she held back a smile.
"Now that you have all had your entertainment for the evening, you are excused to head to your dormitories. 1st years you will be escorted by the Prefects of your house."
People all around Lily began to get up and head out of the Hall. "Pettigrew!" Someone said from behind Lily and when she looked back she saw the boy, Black, behind her, "Good of you to join us. Finally realized what a cheap ripoff Durmstrang was."
Peter laughed nervously as James clapped him on the shoulder, "Good to see you, Peter."
A girl to the right of James leaned down to give Peter a hug. The girl was tall and slender, with an incredibly long cascade of hair that obscured her face as she bent down to hug him. That hair - Lily could not take her eyes off it. It was like moonlight and sunlight woven together - and it was natural. No dark roots. Lily had never seen anything so beautiful. As the girl came back up her eyes flashed at Lily. They were blue and clear, brilliant, as if light were behind them. Her cheeks were faintly flushed with rose, but it was natural color, not makeup. Lily gave a small smile and the girl returned it before turning to James.
"You're in Remus's room, Peter, so it's all set up." James said and Peter nodded. A couple of other boys and another girl said hi to Peter, as the group left the Great Hall. Lily watched them before turning to Peter, "They're . . ."
Peter smiled as he gave a nod, "A wild bunch. James and I have known Sirius, Remus, and Cassie since before we were born pretty much."
Lily stood up, walking beside Peter as they followed the 1st years out of the Hall, "What year are they in?"
"James, Sirius and Cassie are 4th years. Remus is 3rd. That other girl that was with Sirius is a 3rd year too. I don't know her as well. They met her their 1st year here, I've just hung out with her over the summer."
"Mr. Pettigrew, Ms. Evans." Lily turned to see the stern teacher that had reprimanded Sirius walking to them, "The Headmaster would like a word with the two of you." She turned on her heel and began walking off without another word. Quickly Lily ran to catch up, falling in step behind the Professor. She glanced at Peter as he fell into step beside her.
* * *
Lily had a hard time falling asleep that night. The houses weren't much different at Hogwarts as they had been at Durmstrang besides there being four to each room instead of seven. An adjustment Lily was sure she would enjoy more and more as the days wor on. She was sharing a room with one of the girls that had been with the Peter's cousin's group. Her name was Elena and she had the most amazing eyes. They were honey-colored and they seemed to almost glow with a strange golden light. She had black hair that was shiny and full that offset her eyes almost perfectly. Lily didn't get the chance to talk to Elena very long. She came in late, much later than the other two girls and gave a soft smile to Lily.
"Did you know Peter at Durmstrang?" She asked as she changed into her night clothes.
Lily suddenly felt shy, unlike how she had felt while talking to her other dorm mates, "A little. We weren't in the same house there but we had a lot of the same classes."
Elena nodded as she crawled under her covers, "It must be really intimidating to transfer schools."
"It is." Lily agreed, wishing she could come up with something better to say. But her mind was blank and it frustrated her. It wasn't like she was a complete airhead. In fact the complete opposite. She was a straight A student that always has something to add to a conversation whether it be in or outside the classroom.
Elena began to pull the curtains around her bed shut, "My best advice to you about Hogwarts is just to stay far away from anyone with green on their clothes."
The other two girls laughed and Lily looked to them for an explanation as Elena pulled her last curtain shut, cutting off anymore conversation.
Katie, a girl with light brown hair and the friendliest eyes, leaned forward on her bed, "They're Slytherians, most of them are a bad bunch."
"What do you mean most, Kat?" The other girl, Meygan cut in, "They all are."
Katie tossed a look at Meygan before turning back to Lily, "Never get caught alone by a group of them or even one of them."
Lily nodded, her eyes widening. There certainly had been some cruel witches and wizards at Durmstrang but no certain house held them in it. Lily had been one of the kids that would stand her ground with those certain people. She didn't know if she could be that brave if it were an entire house of them.
* * *
Lily's classes turned out to be exactly what she had been looking for when asking for a transfer. Every class was with her house and one other house but only 3rd years. None of the classes were mixed with 5th years or 1st years so Lily didn't feel like she was more advanced or way behind the way she had felt at Durmstrang. Katie and Meygan insisted she sit with them in all of their classes. Most of the time Elena, Peter and another boy Lily had seen sitting with James and Sirirus, named Remus sat with them or near them as well. Lily quickly learned who the Slytherians were and knew there would be no problem with her staying out of their way. They all looked sickly and had scowls on their faces as they walked through the corridors. She met Joel Diggory, a Ravenclaw student, that was great with the jokes and a couple of other students from the other houses but not until lunch did she see James, Sirius or Cassie.
Lily followed Katie into the Great Hall, smiling at Peter as she passed by him sitting with James. Peter returned the smile as James was talking to him and James's eyes immediately jerked up catching her by surprise. This close to him she could see his face better than the night before. His face was odd; not conventionally handsome, but arresting and intriguing with high cheekbones and a determined mouth. Proud and independent and humorous and sensitive all at once.
"You transferred from Durmstrang too, didn't you?"
Lily slowed to a stop and nodded. James elbowed Peter and nodded to Lily, "You left that place with girls like her there?"
"Well, if you didn't notice, Potter, he did bring her along." The boy Lily was standing behind said. She immediately recognized the voice as Sirius. Sirius looked back at her, his eyes dancing as he smiled up at her. His eyes were dark brown, the color of her parents mahogany furniture. And like the furniture, they seemed to reflect the overhead lights back at her. They weren't unfriendly, exactly. Just unimpassioned. As if nothing touched this guy. His smile however, was genuinely friendly, but it was also dazzling and she had a feeling he knew exactly how dazzling it was.
James stood up and held his hand out to her across the table. Shyly Lily took his hand into hers and shook it.
"James Potter."
"Lily Evans."
"Sirius Black." Sirius said after a moment of silence, "Glad we all know each other, now if you don't mind Potter, I'd like your arm out of my face."
Blushing Lily quickly let go of James's hand, James sat down a mischief glint in his eyes, "Just ignore Black here, Lily. He likes to always be the fool."
"Who's more foolish? Me or the fool that follows me around."
James laughed his attention returning to Sirius and their bickering. Lily made her way to where Katie and Meygan and sat down, suddenly not feeling very hungry as her eyes kept wondering down to where James and his group sat, soon catching the attention of Katie.
"Don't even think about it, Lily."
"What?" Lily asked jerking her eyes back to her plate, giving Katie a quick glance first.
"That bunch is really exclusive. They're nice to outsiders but they're private to just themselves."
"Tell me about them." Lily asked, more curious then anything.
Katie laughed, "What's not to tell? They're the smartest bunch and the wildest bunch. They're always getting into trouble but most of the teachers have a soft spot for them. James and Sirius believe in being seen and heard all of the time. Remus is more laid back, the quiet one of the bunch and the other two really look out for him. Not that he needs it, I've seen Remus hold his own plenty of times with the Slytherian bunch. Cassie is extremely kind but very cautious. Her parents and little brother were killed when she was only six and she's lived with her Grandparents ever since."
"How sad." Lily said, her eyes looking down to where Cassie sat on the other side of James. Cassie was smiling at something James was saying to Sirius and she opened her mouth to laugh as Sirius leaned over the table and smacked James on the top of his head.
_________________________
It wasn't until a week later when she saw James alone. Every other time he was with Cassie or surrounded by Sirius, Remus and Peter.
It was a Sunday afternoon and Lily had been spending the weekend touring the school, getting to know it a little bit better. It was so much bigger than Durmstrang and the only reason she hadn't gotten lost was because she either followed Katie or Meygan to the classes. Peter had toured with her later in the evening on Saturday, Remus joining them when he ran into them outside of the Great Hall. That had been the most productive because Remus seemed to know the entire layout of the castle.
"I don't think I'll ever learn my way around here." Lily moaned.
Remus smiled at her in sympathy, "You will. It seems overwhelming now but you'll get the hang of it."
"Not if it continues to grow and add rooms."
Remus laughed and Lily noticed he had a nice comforting laugh, not loud and obnoxious like she found Sirius's to be. Remus turned out to be a really good-natured guy. He had a trusting face with disheveled shoulder-length light red hair and almond-shaped, slightly tilted blue-green eyes.
Tonight she was on her own though. Peter was playing an involved game of Poker with most of the Gryffindor house in the common room. Lily would have definitely loved to have sat in and played however no matter how many times her Dad tried to explain to her the rules of Poker she never could remember them all.
She was glancing behind her at a sudden noise when she rounded a corner and rammed into someone.
"Oh bloody hell. Why don't you watch where you're going stupid git."
"Excuse me?" Lily snapped just as she took in the green tie and snarling face. A Slytherian.
"You heard me stupid mud-blood, get out of my way."
Lily was appalled, she had heard others speak about the nasty meaning of the word he had called her but never had she been called one so lightly. The boy, definitely an older student leaned down closer to her, "I know who you are. You thought by transferring here you could hide but you can't. You can't hide being a mud-blood."
"Get lost Malfoy."
The Slytherian boy, Malfoy, jerked and glared at the intruder over Lily's shoulder, "No one asked for you to be savior, Potter." Malfoy spat causing Lily to spin around with relief in her eyes.
Stepping aside, Lily watched as James advanced on Malfoy, a look of pure anger evident on his face, "As long as you keep harassing other students, I'll keep being their savior. Now run along."
The two seemed to have some sort of silent battle as they starred each other down. The air between the boys almost seemed to crackle with electricity. Lily could almost feel the two strong wills fighting for dominance. Finally it was Malfoy that turned, his cloak making a loud swosh sound as he stormed away from them.
James watched him until he was out of site before turning to Lily. She felt herself gasp as her eyes met his. His own eyes were as dark as a sea in a storm. She saw it clearly and for a moment she was frightened as if she had glimpsed something forbidden, something beyond her comprehension. But powerful. Something powerful and strange.
His eyes cleared and he looked at her with concern, "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"
"Yeah. No. He didn't hurt me, just . . . who was that?"
"Lucius Malfoy." James said, his voice taking a slight edge to it as he turned to look back down the hall, "He's trouble. You want to try and not catch yourself alone with him, ever."
Lily nodded, she gathered that much.
James reached out a hand for her and she took it. He pulled her away from the wall, looking her over closely, "Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine." She whispered and this time when their eyes met she suddenly heard a voice in her head. Your lives are linked. You can't escape each other any more than you can escape destiny.
As quickly as the voice had come, it was gone. Lily pulled her hand from James's and smiled uneasily, "I think I am a little shaken."
James smiled then and Lily felt like she was the single most important girl in the history of living.
"Let me walk you back to the house."
Lily nodded, she felt light headed and wasn't sure she could say much more. James put a protective hand at the small of the back and it was the only thing real and solid to Lily the entire walk back.
They were immediately surrounded when they entered the common room. Cassie noticed Lily's pale face first and asked James, "What happened?"
"Malfoy." James said and at just that name an understanding seemed to spread around the room. Cassie came on the other side of Lily and placed her hand just above James's, the both of them lead her to the couch, shooing away one of the 2nd years as they sat her between them.
"You poor thing. What did he do to you?"
Lily just looked at Cassie with a look of disorientation. She was getting all this attention just because a boy had called her a name. She was obviously missing something.
"I'm fine." She said and Cassie obviously not taking her word for it looked up at James.
"He called her a mud-blood."
Lily hadn't known James had heard all of it.
"That no good piece of trash. I swear I'll rip his bloody . . ."
"Sirius." Cassie chastised before turning back to Lily, "Don't take anything Malfoy says to heart, Lily. He's scum."
"Damn right he's scum." Sirius started in again. He was pacing in front of them, obviously very angry. Lily felt comfort in how protective he seemed over her before realizing it was probably an old battle of enemies that fueled his anger more than her pain.
"Sirius, buddy, calm down." James said, smiling knowingly at Cassie.
Cassie rubbed her hand up and down Lily's arm before smoothing her hand over Lily's hair, "you look absolutely dreadful."
"T - Thanks?" Lily said causing Cassie to laugh.
"Oh I didn't mean it that way dear." She stood up then and pulled Lily up, "Come on, we'll get you all fixed up and feeling better. Elena, let's get her some of that potion of yours."
Lily was taken to Cassie's room which Elena seemed to treat as her own. She walked over to Cassie's bed, pulling out some ingredients as Cassie had Lily sit on the bed. Lily glanced around the room, noticing the small picture on Cassie's bedside table.
"Are those your parents?' She asked before remembering what Katie had told her earlier that week about Cassie's family. Her eyes wide she looked to Cassie who gave a soft smile
"Yes. And that's my little brother. He would be a 2nd year."
"I'm so sorry." Lily said.
Cassie squeezed her hand as Elena handed her a flask. Cassie held it out for Lily who took it without question, "It'll calm the noise in your head. I take it for headaches and it's absolutely brilliant. It's Elena's own special formula."
Lily drank the smooth liquid in one easy gulp. Cassie was right, it immediately seemed to clear the tired cobwebs from her head and refresh her. She smiled as she handed the flask back to Elena, "That is brilliant."
Elena grinned, "I created it last year. My oldest brother had a hangover last summer and I made it for him and it instantly cured him of the hangover. He's so in enamored with me now I almost can't stand it."
"Whatever." Cassie teased, "You absolutely adore your brother."
"So, you're a Muggle too, or your family is?"
Elena nodded. "My brother used to always tease me when we were younger about having special powers. Little did we both know he was right. It's a running joke with the family now."
"That's nice that he's so accepting." Lily's eyes clouded over for a moment which Cassie immediately caught on to.
"You have any siblings?"
"A sister. She . . ." Lily trailed off. Normally it didn't bother her to speak about her sister. True they hadn't been close before but they hadn't exactly despised each other as they did now. Or at least as Petunia seemed to with her.
Cassie gave Lily a light touch on her hand which seemed to completely calm Lily, "She'll come to her senses. It's harder for some then for others."
Remembering the look in Petunia's eyes just before Lily had left for Hogwarts a few weeks before Lily didn't think Cassie was right but one can never tell.