Disclaimer: Anything you recognize from the Harry Potter series is not
mine. I made Clara, Dana, Alice, Hazel, etc. The others belong to J.K.
Rowling.
On to the story!!
Breakfast was a solemn meal for Hogwarts. Tension hung in the air, tiredness for the older students, curiosity for the younger. When Dumbledore came in, what little conversation there was stopped altogether.
"Students, it is my sad duty to inform you of a Dark Wizard who is quickly rising. He has terrorized some of your families. He used to be a student here and was the Head Boy, from Slytherin. He is Lord Voldemort."
The school gasped, unbelieving he said the Dark Wizard's named. Dumbledore heard this and raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"We are all in this fight together, all on the light side, I believe. There is no need to be afraid to say his name aloud. One must be able to say the name of the fear he fears the most. If you are asked to join his followers, his band of Death Eaters, and he threatens to kill you and your loved ones, please be spared the consequences of your actions."
Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws' eyes swiftly swerved to the Slytherins' table, where they grew visibly pale.
"Last night, Voldemort attacked Hogsmeade. Fifth and older years were sent to help heal the people before the ST. Mungo's staff could arrive. Let us all give a round of applause for them," he said.
The Great Hall rang with clapping and when it died down, Dumbledore said in a grave voice, "It is also my regret to tell you who died from our side. Sven of ours died last night, the following: Christian Moor, an elderly man, Serena and Drudelle Trans, two infant twins, Madam Tavern, our Three Broomsticks bartender, Michael Dale, a six-year old boy, Camille Flores, a post office worker and Duncan Pront, an assistant in Flourish and Blott's and Sacha Pront's brother. Let us have a moment's silence for these people."
~*~
Quidditch try-outs were held the second week into October, during a Tuesday. The castle had a tense aura about it. Students talk and joked and laughed less, even the Marauders toned their jokes down a bit.
By now, Lily had moved into the fifth year girl's dormitory, after the four older girls bade a tearful goodbye to Alexia and welcomed Lily heartily. She missed her friends but not a lot, since fourth years shared classes with fifth years, except fifth years had to take an extra class besides the required two. She had Advanced Charms and Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts, which she had with her fifth year friends.
"Order! Order!" James tried and miserably failed to start their meeting Tuesday morning. They needed a new Chaser, Keeper and Beater. Sirius was on the team, he was a Beater, Mantra was a Chaser, like James and Summer Dence was their Seeker.
"We need to find stamina, agility, strength, strong will and the passion to kick some Slytherin arse!!" James said, pumping his closed fist in the air.
As Gryffindor Quidditch players, it was their duty to administer and supervise the try-outs, along with Madame Quince. A long line of eager Gryffindors was beginning outside the locker room where James and his teammates stayed. Try-outs from the past years when he had been on the team told him that he was in for a long day and was soon going to get pretty bored himself.
"Sirius," James warned the drooling boy, fast asleep. He wasn't sure if it was just an act. "Up, up Siri!"
He clapped twice, whistled his famous far-piercing whistle, snapped his fingers real loud, and shouted as the two girls looked on amusedly. James was frustrated; he wanted try-outs to get over and done with as soon as possible and a snoring Sirius wasn't going to help.
Now, a frustrated Potter is one thing one hopes never to cross in one's life.
"Padfoot! Your mum is coming with Annette!!"
Sirius sprang awake, eyes wide, hands clutched to his head, his face a mask of terror and confusion. He ran out to the Quidditch pitch, where he could be heard shouting, "Outta my way! Outta my way!!"
James chuckled, frustrated no longer, while Mantra and Summer peered questioningly at him. He threw up his hands and said, apologetically, "Sorry, Annette's Sirius' greatest fear. I can't tell you, sorry."
They nodded dubiously, and James regained his strict Captain composure. Sirius walked in the door, glaring at James and smoothing his hair back.
"Honestly, Prongs, you needn't've done that. You just had to prod me awake, I was just resting my eyes."
~*~
"Okay, listen up, Gryffindors!!" James puffed up his chest proudly as he walked onto the pitch.
"Sirius'll be handling the Beaters, over to those three goals." Some students headed to the direction of James' outstretched finger and followed Sirius.
"Mantra and I will watch the Chasers over here. Keepers, come back after lunch," James said, wiping sweat off his brow. He turned to look at the bleachers; Clara and Dana were watching and waved to a person trying out.
"Hi, Mantra! James," Lily said, giving a curt nod to James to acknowledge his presence. She'd been a little cold and tried to avoid him after the Alice incident.
Mantra said, "Hey, Lils! You're up against some pretty good guys: Brent Bell, Fred Johnson and Mark Spinnet. Now, I know I can't pick favorites, but Summer and I really want another girl to join the team!"
James avoided Lily's gaze and said, "I didn't know you were trying out." Before giving her time to answer, he called over the rest of the Chasers and gave them instructions.
"We'll go off alphabetically. You'll be shooting the Quaffle through the hoops twenty-five times against me, as Keeper. Later, we'll pick the top five and you'll have to outnumber each other."
~*~
The first round went off and soon, Mantra and James were singling out the five best Chasers. Fred had scored 18 times, Mark, 16, Brent, 17, Lily, 18 and David Bludgeon 16. It was near lunchtime already; Lily's stomach kindly reminded her so.
"OK, you lot! In a time of 3 minutes, we'll see how many goals you can score! Brent, you first!"
The eager raven-haired boy grabbed his broomstick (Silver Arrow) and hovered high up in the air. Lily agreed, he was good. When he came back down, excited and anticipating, James grinned at him and slapped his shoulder.
"Well, Brent, you're pretty good! 47 shots in!"
Mantra came back down and mock-waved a fist in Brent's face, "You tire me, Bell! James I need a break, you go up there."
Mark was up next. He was experienced, too, and Lily knew it wasn't a joke when Mantra told her they were good. Panting, he arrived after three minutes went by, vigorously throwing the Quaffle as hard as he could through James.
"Very nice, Mark, you got 49 in!" Mantra applauded Mark politely and then turned to Brent. "Sorry, Brent, better luck next time. Pretty great moves, though!"
The disappointed but satisfied Brent went off after giving a little salute to the castle, hoping to get some food and rest. Lily was sorry to see him go. She cast a peek at Clara and Dana; their heads were piled on top of the others', dead asleep. She gave a tinkling laugh and focused on David Bludgeon, who was rapidly shooting the scarlet medium-sized ball through the golden hoops.
Coming down to earth, he hadn't beaten Mark's score, who stood proudly but not smugly, and was sent to the castle with bades of "Bye's!" and "Take it easy's!".
Before they could turn to Fred, a scream sounded through the air coming from the west side of the field. Sirius was on his broom, a Bludger coming straight towards him, and Murielle Ventura wildly waving her bat at him. Her famous, long brown hair, which se always kept in a difficult twist, was now a pile of snakes.
"Arghh! I was just kiddin' Murielle!"
He was pelting around the pitch now, wildly trying to avoid the Bludger.
"Oh, really, Black? Turn it back, NOW!!" She said in a fit of rage, trying to catch up with the scarlet blur that was Sirius black.
He was panicking now, it was one of the spells the Marauders had invented. These spells had no counter-curse, you had to figure out what to do to get it off. Like the monkey-face curse, where they tested it out on Snape, he had to run around with his boxers in the Gryffindor Common Room, screaming, "I like bananas!" twice. Or like the bunny tail and hopping curse, where you had to sing the American National Anthem while brushing your teeth with cheese and peanut butter, this one was on Malfoy.
"I don't know! Try doing something, besides trying to kill me!" Sirius got out of the speeding Bludger's way just in time to hear it whiz through his robes.
The Chaser group chuckled and went back to what they were doing, already used to Sirius' antics. Fred was up next and he mounted his broom, exhilaration flowing through him. He shot 51 times, missing one shot as Sirius, the Bludger and Murielle came streaking past him.
Mark looked down for a moment there, but after a pat on the back from James, some cheering up by Lily and Mantra, he was soon going up the pathway to Hogwarts, ready to take a break.
It was Lily against Fred; Clara and Dana were awoken by Sirius' screams and Murielle's fierce whacking bat sounds. They cheered the timid Lily on.
It was only her second time flying, but it was like she was a pro. She didn't care much for Quidditch but flying! Oh, she never wished all her life that she wasn't as not well off as her family was, sure, they could afford to send Petunia to the local high school and Lily to Hogwarts, but they couldn't afford to but a broom. Lily loved flying as much as she was in love with James.
Flying took away her sorrows about not fitting in, worries about being a geek and nerdy for being too smart and her problems about not looking good enough for James.
It was exhilarating.
One day I'll fly away
It set her spirit free.
Leave all this to yesterday
She knew no bounds, no barriers to where she could lift her spirit.
Why live life from dream to dream
When she'd land, a piece of her was gone.
And dread the day.when dreaming...ends.
"Evans! Lils, earth to Lillian Rose Evans!" Mantra waved her hands over Lily's dreamy face as her hands clutched the school's old Shooting Star.
"Wha- What? Huh?" Lily's mind snapped back to reality.
Mantra sighed as James shook his head, causing his floppy hair to fall onto his eyes. "Why don't you wipe that expression of your face, get your bum up there and score some goals?"
She turned to James and asked, "Are you going to be my Keeper?"
He nodded and rose to the hoops, Lily in tow. Mantra kept on the ground, shouting instructions, with Fred.
"Get ready, Lils! 5, 4, 3, 2, and go!"
Lily rounded up James' left side and quickly swerved to the right, scoring as many goals as she can. She did this for as many times as she could, using different techniques she'd caught on while listening to the Marauders.
James was guarding the hoops like crazy, but he couldn't block most of her shots. 'Wow, I never knew she was this good. I mean, look at her,' James thought. 'It's only her second time flying, for putting Malfoy's boxers on a flagpole!'
After what seemed like forever, Mantra whistled and called to James and Lily, both panting, Lily with a look of pure and utter delight on her face and James, a scowl mixed with amazement and admiration.
"Lily, I'd no idea! Sorry Mark, she got 53 in!! Congratulations, Lils!" She cried, patting her on the back softly and placing a comforting hand on Mark's arm before he left.
"Wow, Lily Flower! You're sure gonna kick some Slytherin bums! Practice is in two day's, after classes," James said, a grin plastered on his sweaty face.
Lily beamed as she took in the good news. She'd be flying pretty often over the next few months.
~*~
"Miss Evans, please go to the Headmaster after finishing your meal. Thank you," McGonagall said to Lily the morning after the try-outs. Murielle still hadn't found a way to return her hair back to normal and was torturing Sirius every time she got the chance. Her friends had been ecstatic when she told them that she got into the team.
"Well, I better get it over and done with. I'll see you guys later in class, and tell Professor Sprout I might be late. Bye!" Lily hopped off with her school bag dangling around her robes.
'I know where Dumbledore's office is, but what's his password?' Lily wondered as she reached the gargoyle. She stood there for a few minutes, naming all the sweets she could think of when finally, Dumbledore appeared as he walked with Professor Flitwick.
"Ah, Miss Evans. I'll be with you shortly," he turned to the tiny dwarf- like professor. "I'll see you in our staff meeting later, Christian?"
The gargoyle sprang to life and jumped aside when Dumbledore said the password, (Ice Mice!) and a staircase descended to their level. After seating comfortably and each petting Fawkes, who trilled high notes beautifully, they went to business.
"Miss Evans, I daresay you know that our other Gryffindor prefect, Alexia Cruin has moved to Beauxbatons?"
Lily nodded her confirmation.
"We would like to ask you to if you want to be our next Prefect, seeing as we only have Mr. Potter now."
She gasped and registering this through her brain, Lily accepted. (A/n: Comeon, obviously she would!! :p)
"Yes sir, I think I will."
"Good, Miss Evans, now we'll tell you of your duties during our next Prefect meeting on Saturday. The password to the Prefect bathroom is "Judd Rebullida". My congratulations on making the Quidditch team."
Lily was amazed at how he always knew things about his students and answered polietely before getting up to leave, "Thank you sir. I'll be going now, could you please write an excuse to Prof. Sprout for me?"
After leaving with her not to set off for the greenhouses, Lily skipped along the gravel path thinking how lucky she was to have received such good news after a depressing incident.
On to the story!!
Breakfast was a solemn meal for Hogwarts. Tension hung in the air, tiredness for the older students, curiosity for the younger. When Dumbledore came in, what little conversation there was stopped altogether.
"Students, it is my sad duty to inform you of a Dark Wizard who is quickly rising. He has terrorized some of your families. He used to be a student here and was the Head Boy, from Slytherin. He is Lord Voldemort."
The school gasped, unbelieving he said the Dark Wizard's named. Dumbledore heard this and raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"We are all in this fight together, all on the light side, I believe. There is no need to be afraid to say his name aloud. One must be able to say the name of the fear he fears the most. If you are asked to join his followers, his band of Death Eaters, and he threatens to kill you and your loved ones, please be spared the consequences of your actions."
Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws' eyes swiftly swerved to the Slytherins' table, where they grew visibly pale.
"Last night, Voldemort attacked Hogsmeade. Fifth and older years were sent to help heal the people before the ST. Mungo's staff could arrive. Let us all give a round of applause for them," he said.
The Great Hall rang with clapping and when it died down, Dumbledore said in a grave voice, "It is also my regret to tell you who died from our side. Sven of ours died last night, the following: Christian Moor, an elderly man, Serena and Drudelle Trans, two infant twins, Madam Tavern, our Three Broomsticks bartender, Michael Dale, a six-year old boy, Camille Flores, a post office worker and Duncan Pront, an assistant in Flourish and Blott's and Sacha Pront's brother. Let us have a moment's silence for these people."
~*~
Quidditch try-outs were held the second week into October, during a Tuesday. The castle had a tense aura about it. Students talk and joked and laughed less, even the Marauders toned their jokes down a bit.
By now, Lily had moved into the fifth year girl's dormitory, after the four older girls bade a tearful goodbye to Alexia and welcomed Lily heartily. She missed her friends but not a lot, since fourth years shared classes with fifth years, except fifth years had to take an extra class besides the required two. She had Advanced Charms and Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts, which she had with her fifth year friends.
"Order! Order!" James tried and miserably failed to start their meeting Tuesday morning. They needed a new Chaser, Keeper and Beater. Sirius was on the team, he was a Beater, Mantra was a Chaser, like James and Summer Dence was their Seeker.
"We need to find stamina, agility, strength, strong will and the passion to kick some Slytherin arse!!" James said, pumping his closed fist in the air.
As Gryffindor Quidditch players, it was their duty to administer and supervise the try-outs, along with Madame Quince. A long line of eager Gryffindors was beginning outside the locker room where James and his teammates stayed. Try-outs from the past years when he had been on the team told him that he was in for a long day and was soon going to get pretty bored himself.
"Sirius," James warned the drooling boy, fast asleep. He wasn't sure if it was just an act. "Up, up Siri!"
He clapped twice, whistled his famous far-piercing whistle, snapped his fingers real loud, and shouted as the two girls looked on amusedly. James was frustrated; he wanted try-outs to get over and done with as soon as possible and a snoring Sirius wasn't going to help.
Now, a frustrated Potter is one thing one hopes never to cross in one's life.
"Padfoot! Your mum is coming with Annette!!"
Sirius sprang awake, eyes wide, hands clutched to his head, his face a mask of terror and confusion. He ran out to the Quidditch pitch, where he could be heard shouting, "Outta my way! Outta my way!!"
James chuckled, frustrated no longer, while Mantra and Summer peered questioningly at him. He threw up his hands and said, apologetically, "Sorry, Annette's Sirius' greatest fear. I can't tell you, sorry."
They nodded dubiously, and James regained his strict Captain composure. Sirius walked in the door, glaring at James and smoothing his hair back.
"Honestly, Prongs, you needn't've done that. You just had to prod me awake, I was just resting my eyes."
~*~
"Okay, listen up, Gryffindors!!" James puffed up his chest proudly as he walked onto the pitch.
"Sirius'll be handling the Beaters, over to those three goals." Some students headed to the direction of James' outstretched finger and followed Sirius.
"Mantra and I will watch the Chasers over here. Keepers, come back after lunch," James said, wiping sweat off his brow. He turned to look at the bleachers; Clara and Dana were watching and waved to a person trying out.
"Hi, Mantra! James," Lily said, giving a curt nod to James to acknowledge his presence. She'd been a little cold and tried to avoid him after the Alice incident.
Mantra said, "Hey, Lils! You're up against some pretty good guys: Brent Bell, Fred Johnson and Mark Spinnet. Now, I know I can't pick favorites, but Summer and I really want another girl to join the team!"
James avoided Lily's gaze and said, "I didn't know you were trying out." Before giving her time to answer, he called over the rest of the Chasers and gave them instructions.
"We'll go off alphabetically. You'll be shooting the Quaffle through the hoops twenty-five times against me, as Keeper. Later, we'll pick the top five and you'll have to outnumber each other."
~*~
The first round went off and soon, Mantra and James were singling out the five best Chasers. Fred had scored 18 times, Mark, 16, Brent, 17, Lily, 18 and David Bludgeon 16. It was near lunchtime already; Lily's stomach kindly reminded her so.
"OK, you lot! In a time of 3 minutes, we'll see how many goals you can score! Brent, you first!"
The eager raven-haired boy grabbed his broomstick (Silver Arrow) and hovered high up in the air. Lily agreed, he was good. When he came back down, excited and anticipating, James grinned at him and slapped his shoulder.
"Well, Brent, you're pretty good! 47 shots in!"
Mantra came back down and mock-waved a fist in Brent's face, "You tire me, Bell! James I need a break, you go up there."
Mark was up next. He was experienced, too, and Lily knew it wasn't a joke when Mantra told her they were good. Panting, he arrived after three minutes went by, vigorously throwing the Quaffle as hard as he could through James.
"Very nice, Mark, you got 49 in!" Mantra applauded Mark politely and then turned to Brent. "Sorry, Brent, better luck next time. Pretty great moves, though!"
The disappointed but satisfied Brent went off after giving a little salute to the castle, hoping to get some food and rest. Lily was sorry to see him go. She cast a peek at Clara and Dana; their heads were piled on top of the others', dead asleep. She gave a tinkling laugh and focused on David Bludgeon, who was rapidly shooting the scarlet medium-sized ball through the golden hoops.
Coming down to earth, he hadn't beaten Mark's score, who stood proudly but not smugly, and was sent to the castle with bades of "Bye's!" and "Take it easy's!".
Before they could turn to Fred, a scream sounded through the air coming from the west side of the field. Sirius was on his broom, a Bludger coming straight towards him, and Murielle Ventura wildly waving her bat at him. Her famous, long brown hair, which se always kept in a difficult twist, was now a pile of snakes.
"Arghh! I was just kiddin' Murielle!"
He was pelting around the pitch now, wildly trying to avoid the Bludger.
"Oh, really, Black? Turn it back, NOW!!" She said in a fit of rage, trying to catch up with the scarlet blur that was Sirius black.
He was panicking now, it was one of the spells the Marauders had invented. These spells had no counter-curse, you had to figure out what to do to get it off. Like the monkey-face curse, where they tested it out on Snape, he had to run around with his boxers in the Gryffindor Common Room, screaming, "I like bananas!" twice. Or like the bunny tail and hopping curse, where you had to sing the American National Anthem while brushing your teeth with cheese and peanut butter, this one was on Malfoy.
"I don't know! Try doing something, besides trying to kill me!" Sirius got out of the speeding Bludger's way just in time to hear it whiz through his robes.
The Chaser group chuckled and went back to what they were doing, already used to Sirius' antics. Fred was up next and he mounted his broom, exhilaration flowing through him. He shot 51 times, missing one shot as Sirius, the Bludger and Murielle came streaking past him.
Mark looked down for a moment there, but after a pat on the back from James, some cheering up by Lily and Mantra, he was soon going up the pathway to Hogwarts, ready to take a break.
It was Lily against Fred; Clara and Dana were awoken by Sirius' screams and Murielle's fierce whacking bat sounds. They cheered the timid Lily on.
It was only her second time flying, but it was like she was a pro. She didn't care much for Quidditch but flying! Oh, she never wished all her life that she wasn't as not well off as her family was, sure, they could afford to send Petunia to the local high school and Lily to Hogwarts, but they couldn't afford to but a broom. Lily loved flying as much as she was in love with James.
Flying took away her sorrows about not fitting in, worries about being a geek and nerdy for being too smart and her problems about not looking good enough for James.
It was exhilarating.
One day I'll fly away
It set her spirit free.
Leave all this to yesterday
She knew no bounds, no barriers to where she could lift her spirit.
Why live life from dream to dream
When she'd land, a piece of her was gone.
And dread the day.when dreaming...ends.
"Evans! Lils, earth to Lillian Rose Evans!" Mantra waved her hands over Lily's dreamy face as her hands clutched the school's old Shooting Star.
"Wha- What? Huh?" Lily's mind snapped back to reality.
Mantra sighed as James shook his head, causing his floppy hair to fall onto his eyes. "Why don't you wipe that expression of your face, get your bum up there and score some goals?"
She turned to James and asked, "Are you going to be my Keeper?"
He nodded and rose to the hoops, Lily in tow. Mantra kept on the ground, shouting instructions, with Fred.
"Get ready, Lils! 5, 4, 3, 2, and go!"
Lily rounded up James' left side and quickly swerved to the right, scoring as many goals as she can. She did this for as many times as she could, using different techniques she'd caught on while listening to the Marauders.
James was guarding the hoops like crazy, but he couldn't block most of her shots. 'Wow, I never knew she was this good. I mean, look at her,' James thought. 'It's only her second time flying, for putting Malfoy's boxers on a flagpole!'
After what seemed like forever, Mantra whistled and called to James and Lily, both panting, Lily with a look of pure and utter delight on her face and James, a scowl mixed with amazement and admiration.
"Lily, I'd no idea! Sorry Mark, she got 53 in!! Congratulations, Lils!" She cried, patting her on the back softly and placing a comforting hand on Mark's arm before he left.
"Wow, Lily Flower! You're sure gonna kick some Slytherin bums! Practice is in two day's, after classes," James said, a grin plastered on his sweaty face.
Lily beamed as she took in the good news. She'd be flying pretty often over the next few months.
~*~
"Miss Evans, please go to the Headmaster after finishing your meal. Thank you," McGonagall said to Lily the morning after the try-outs. Murielle still hadn't found a way to return her hair back to normal and was torturing Sirius every time she got the chance. Her friends had been ecstatic when she told them that she got into the team.
"Well, I better get it over and done with. I'll see you guys later in class, and tell Professor Sprout I might be late. Bye!" Lily hopped off with her school bag dangling around her robes.
'I know where Dumbledore's office is, but what's his password?' Lily wondered as she reached the gargoyle. She stood there for a few minutes, naming all the sweets she could think of when finally, Dumbledore appeared as he walked with Professor Flitwick.
"Ah, Miss Evans. I'll be with you shortly," he turned to the tiny dwarf- like professor. "I'll see you in our staff meeting later, Christian?"
The gargoyle sprang to life and jumped aside when Dumbledore said the password, (Ice Mice!) and a staircase descended to their level. After seating comfortably and each petting Fawkes, who trilled high notes beautifully, they went to business.
"Miss Evans, I daresay you know that our other Gryffindor prefect, Alexia Cruin has moved to Beauxbatons?"
Lily nodded her confirmation.
"We would like to ask you to if you want to be our next Prefect, seeing as we only have Mr. Potter now."
She gasped and registering this through her brain, Lily accepted. (A/n: Comeon, obviously she would!! :p)
"Yes sir, I think I will."
"Good, Miss Evans, now we'll tell you of your duties during our next Prefect meeting on Saturday. The password to the Prefect bathroom is "Judd Rebullida". My congratulations on making the Quidditch team."
Lily was amazed at how he always knew things about his students and answered polietely before getting up to leave, "Thank you sir. I'll be going now, could you please write an excuse to Prof. Sprout for me?"
After leaving with her not to set off for the greenhouses, Lily skipped along the gravel path thinking how lucky she was to have received such good news after a depressing incident.
