A/N: Okay, okay, I know… I shouldn't be starting a third story, especially since I haven't updated in a long time. But, I wanted to write something different… so I chose this. I just hope it will turn out to be kind of different… Well, please tell me what you think! Oh, and one short message to the readers: I don't know Spanish, but I've used some in this story, so the grammar might be wrong since all I've used to translate is the Microsoft Word translator… So please forgive me! I'll see if I can find a more reliable translator… like a person. If anyone is willing to volunteer, that'll be great!

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APRIL 27, 1983

London

There was a screech of brakes as the yellow Jeep slid to a halt on the side of the road. A curtain of red waved about in the slowly setting sunlight. Two sparkling emeralds shone from behind brilliant blue shades. With a bang, the door slammed open.

Eighteen-year-old Liliane Evans jumped down from the driver's seat and looked around her. She ran her hand through her shoulder length auburn hair. A simple gold bracelet shone as it hung loosely on her thin wrist. Car after car sped by her. How on earth was she supposed to cross the road? But a small voice in her head told her the more than obvious answer.

Maybe you should go up to the traffic lights. The cars will stop there for sure.

She had heard that voice before, but she couldn't quite place it. Lily answered the voice back in her mind.

Who are you?

I'm your conscience, dummy.

Well, for a conscience, you aren't very nice.

Well, what can I do? I was forced to be the conscience of someone who isn't very smart… so I guess we're even, aren't we?

To this, Lily had no answer. She walked up to the lights slowly and waited, seating herself on a nearby bench. She hated arguing with her conscience, because such arguments always took place when she thought she was right. The problem was, while she thought she was right, she knew that her conscience was right for sure.

The light for pedestrians turned green and Lily walked across slowly, but was staring at her feet, thinking to herself. Soon, she had walked into someone who seemed a good deal larger than she was.

"Can't you watch where you're going?" the person spat at her. It was a man.

Lily answered that she was terribly sorry, but she couldn't help but feel that she somehow recognized his voice. She looked at his face, taking in his fiery eyes and messy black hair. For some reason, she couldn't place it.

As she was studying his face, she noticed that he was at least half a foot taller than she was. She also noticed that he was looking around for something. Lily glanced down and picked up a pair of black glasses.

"Are these yours?" she asked as politely as she could.

"Oh, yeah, they are – thanks, I guess," he answered, a mixture of surprise and puzzlement on his face. He reached out for them and she placed them in his outstretched hand.

"No problem," she murmured in response. Not knowing whether to walk away or introduce herself, she just stared at him as he put his glasses on. The moment they were back in position, the answer clicked in her head.

"I say, you're James Potter, aren't you? Do you remember me? I'm Liliane Evans, and I was in Slytherin. I was Head Girl when you were Head Boy," she said excitedly.

"Of course I remember you. How can anyone forget the Slytherin that disgraced the rest of the school by becoming Head Girl? Now get lost, Evans. I should think that a Muggleborn Slytherin like you would know the meaning of that?"

And with those harsh words, James walked across the street. A beep of a car horn brought Lily back to her sense. She had been blocking the traffic for a minute or two, even though the traffic lights had long since changed. She ran quickly to the other side, hurriedly blinking her eyes as she tried to force back the tears that threatened to fall. Monday just wasn't her favorite day of the week.

First, I nearly crash my Jeep into another car, then my conscience calls me dumb, and now this happens. This just isn't my day. I bet now I'm going to get fired before I even start work…

For you see, Lily wasn't just going for a stroll around London. She was going to her new job. It had been the job of her dreams ever since she was six, ever since her best friend's mom had taken on a similar job. Lily and Candace McDonald (called Candy for short) would play for hours together, taking turns at the job and being customers. But when they turned eleven, Lily got her letter and was sent off to Hogwarts and made new friends – as well as plenty of new enemies.

Being a Slytherin, she was shunned by every other house, and the fact that she was a Muggleborn made even those in her own house turn their noses up at her. There were only two people who she could safely call her friends. One of them was a boy by the name of Sidney Caraway. He, too, was shunned and teased because of his thick Aussie accent, and his less-than-average intelligence. He looked up to Lily a great deal, and she thought of him as a good and loyal friend. He would do anything for her, and she paid him back by helping him with schoolwork.

Liliane's other friend was Severus Snape. Severus, or Sev as his friends called him, was a much better student than an athlete. He was an expert at all subjects especially Defense and Potions. But at Quidditch, he was hopeless. He wasn't able to get the knack of riding a broom properly, much less playing Quidditch. He could barely fly with both hands on his broom, let alone catch a ball in midair. Once, he had tried hexing the other brooms so that it would appear that he was a better flier. But he had only ended up with a detention – during which he had been forced to clean out the Owlery.

Unlike Lily, both Severus and Sidney were fascinated by the Dark Arts, and they both dreamed of following Voldemort as loyal Death Eaters. Though the one thing Lily could not dissuade Sidney of was his dream, it was the one argument in which Lily had power over Severus.

But then, Severus and Lily were not ordinary friends. The three outcasts had started together as acquaintances and they were soon forced to become friends, when everyone else had abandoned them. By their third year, they were inseparable. But for some reason, whereas Sidney maintained the status of Lily's friend, Severus turned out to be something else. Neither Lily nor Severus could fathom why they suddenly had a deepened interest in one another towards the middle of their fourth year. By the time that they were both pronounced prefects, they had experienced their first walk together, their first drink together, their first kiss together, and their first night in the grounds together.

Sidney didn't mind any of this. On the other hand, he encouraged them to spend as much time together as possible, for, in his words, "Sev has to get ready to become a Death Eater." But there, he had made a mistake. Lily had made such an impact on Severus' life that he soon had second thoughts about his dream of going to the Dark Side.

Lily suddenly stopped – and her thoughts whirled around in her mind as she realized that she had already reached her destination. She had come upon a one-story building that had been made in the old Spanish-Mexican style. The roof was of shingles. The eaves went down about a foot, and at the end, they resembled green and red waves. The walls were like the adobe walls that were used in Spain and in Southwestern America. On the front wall, a sign hung that read Muchachos – Mexican Cuisine. Lily smiled inwardly. Who would have thought that the Hogwarts' Head Girl of '79 would turn out to be a waitress at a Mexican restaurant? Lily walked up to the door and pushed. As she entered, she heard the faint tinkle of a bell, and the familiar smell of spices beckoned her to come in. She walked inside cautiously, her tennis shoes making a small squeak with each step on the hardwood floor. She approached the counter, and rang the small bell that was there.

Within a few seconds, a short, plump Spanish lady in a red frilly dress came to the counter. She was muttering angrily and wiping her hands hurriedly on her clothes. Her black hair was braided down her back, but around her head, it had come undone and was forming ringlets that framed her face. She was a pretty woman, without much makeup on, but her flushed face had a look of anger on it. Lily assumed that she was in her mid thirties.

"You wanting a table, yes?" she asked when she spotted Lily standing there.

"Oh, no, I'm supposed to be your new waitress. May I speak to Senor Valdez please?" Lily asked politely. She felt right at home with the Spanish woman. But then, she felt right at home in Spain too, having been born and brought up there for most of her life before Hogwarts.

Lily's mother had been British, but she moved to Spain when she was young and spent most of her life there. In time, she married a Spanish man. But Lily's mother died soon after Lily herself was born, and so her father remarried – this time to the young daughter of a wealthy aristocrat. Lily soon had a sister whom they named Petunia. (Lily's stepmother loved flowers, and thought that it would be interesting if both the daughters had flowery names.) The family of four moved back to England when Lily turned nine and Petunia three. There, Lily met Candace. When she turned ten, Lily had another sister by the name of Daisy. She also had a brother – Daisy's twin – who was named José. But after Lily started her third year at Hogwarts, the father and the two twins were attacked by Voldemort. Lily's sister and stepmother moved back to Spain, so Lily was forced to move back as well – though Dumbledore refused to have her leave Hogwarts.

Her past was filled with tragedies, but she had fought her way through them and had grown into a fine person. Now, as she looked around her, her mind filled up with memories of her childhood.

The woman beckoned Lily to follow her, and Lily complied willingly. They walked past rows of tables – each set with placemats and silverware – and into a small hallway. Lily liked the look of the restaurant, for its furnishings were simple but tasteful, with dark oak tables and chairs and Mexican and Spanish paintings and pottery in a few places. There were a few cacti in corners, and all in all, Lily felt like it was perfect. There was only one thing missing – customers.

As the twosome approached the door, the Spanish woman knocked on it. Lily heard a muffled "Entre Señora" as a reply. They entered, and Lily saw a thin, balding man sitting at a desk, poring over some papers. He had black hair and soft dark eyes that were surrounded by long lashes – most uncommon for men like him. He looked just like her father… But he was different. Her father had been big built, with a tall stature and plenty of fat around the middle. But the eyes, lashes, and brows – they were the same. Even the wrinkles at the corners and the dimpled cheeks were exactly the same. When the man spoke, it was as though her father was speaking. But Lily shook her head, trying to rid herself of the memories. Thinking of her father was painful.

"Esta es la nuevo camarera," the lady said. Lily understood perfectly. She had said, "This is the new waitress." Lily smiled. She liked to hear Spanish being spoken. She felt as though she was back at home with her mother and father. Even though her mother was British, Spanish was the primary language in their home.

"Sí, ella parecí estar fiable. You look like you will make a good waitress, Senorita. Have you any experience in this field?"

"I'm sorry, but the only time I've ever been a waitress is when I was playing with my friend in her backyard. Lo siento," Lily replied. The reaction from the other two at her last few words was remarkable. They hadn't expected the redhead to speak their language. They had never thought someone with such Anglicized mannerisms would be so familiar with their ways.

"Yo soy tan española como yo soy inglesa. I am as Spanish as I am English," Lily said laughing a little at their surprise. Senor Valdez began to laugh too. Then he spoke.

"I am sure that you will be as good of a waitress as you are an entertainer, Senorita. Ah, but what is your name?"

"Oh yeah, I'm Liliane Evans," she said, making a mental note to remember such things in the future.

"Liliane – you have not a shorter name?" the woman next to her asked.

"You can call me Lily. But what's your name?"

"This is Nina. She works here with her daughter – Ana. Her boy, Maurice, also helps as a cook," Valdez explained.

"Oh, so your whole family works here. Uh, where are Maurice and Ana?" Lily asked, starting to feel rather strange. These were not her people. They may be Spanish, but they were not like her, as she was beginning to realize.

"Ana is in school today still. She comes at only five. Maurice is in kitchen cleaning. He finished school three years back. He cannot go college yet – not enough money," Nina told her.

Lily digested this information quietly. She didn't feel quite as comfortable here as she did before. She started thinking of her own family – her father, mother, stepmother, stepbrother, and stepsisters. All of them – except for her stepmother and Petunia – had passed away. The two who were left were unwilling to care for her any longer. And what friends did Lily have? They had finally joined Voldemort. Severus had too. Severus – he had made so many promises to her. He had said that he would not go over to the Dark Side. He had said that he would take care of her after Hogwarts. He had said so many things and made so many promises, but had he kept any of them? No, he had abandoned her, just like her family.

"Um, can I have a look around?" Lily asked. They nodded their heads – yes, she could go. So Lily left quietly. As soon as the door was shut, Lily heard a bang of metal. Wondering what had made the sound, Lily walked down passageways until she came to a pair of swinging doors. Pushing her way through them, she heard a male voice cursing.

"Yo soy loco. I am going mad. I do not like this work. Ay de mi…"

"Excuse me, but, what's wrong?" Lily said as she looked around the room – it was the kitchen.

"Senorita, I am sorry but we are closed. Come back later."

"You misunderstand me. I'm new here. I just got a job as a waitress. Yo soy nuevo en el trabajo. I was taking a look around, and I heard some shouts, so I came in here. Is something wrong?"

"Ah, you are the flower? Mamá told me you would come. The Lily Flower, that is you, isn't it?" he said.

"Uh, my name is Lily, but I'm not a flower…" Lily said, slightly confused.

"That is what I said, you are a lily. Are not lilies flowers?"

"They're flowers, but my name is Lily. Mi nombre esta Lily."

"Ah, si, I understood now. Your Spanish is very good, Lily." (A/N: It probably isn't though, because mine is horrible! I don't even take Spanish at school…)

"Thanks, but – oh, are you Maurice? I was talking to your mother. Um, could you show me around?" Lily asked.

"Por supuesto, of course I will show you around. Follow me."

Maurice and Lily went around the restaurant. In the minutes that passed, Lily grew to like him. She thought he was funny, and he tried his best to amuse her. She found out that though he had graduated only two years before Lily had, he was four years older than she was, even though they seemed to be the same age. After Lily was shown around, she heard a voice ring through the halls. It was a sweet, merry voice, that of a young girl. Turning around, Lily saw a girl just a few years younger than she was. This was Ana.

"Are you Lily? I'm Ana," the girl introduced herself. "I'm so happy we'll have more help around here. It is so hard to work without enough waitresses. There are two others, besides Mamá and me, but they don't come very often. They take days off as they please and show off and flirt with the men and altogether they don't do their jobs very well. But you seem nice," Ana said in a rush. Lily noted that her English seemed to be much better than her brother's and her mother's. It must have been because she was still in school or something.

"Ana, hurry up and wash. Senor says he will open. Mamá wants to speak you. Go, now, Ana!" Maurice said to her. He seemed a bit too harsh on his younger sister, Lily thought. She went into Senor Valdez's office and asked him if it was okay if she didn't work that day, but merely watched and helped wash up. He agreed, smiling at her. Just as she was about to leave, he spoke again.

"You remind me of my daughter, Senorita. She too had red hair like yours. Her eyes were dark, though. Yet she was fair, very fair. And her spirit was like yours, too. She wanted to go out and see the world. I told her, you have the smarts to make money, but you are a lady. It is not safe. Your status is not one to permit you to do such things. But she was indignant. She finally left, and went to America. She settled there – had a family. But now… she is gone."

Lily could do nothing but listen. Once more, she was reminded of her family. She couldn't say anything. Lily just turned around and walked slowly through the door. This time, though, she let the tears fall.

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A/N: I really don't know what to say now, except please review! Sorry if this was a confusing chapter… My mind was going a lot faster than my hands were, so it might not have flowed together all that well.