The Princess and the Pauper

(insert standard summary here)

A/N: To be frank, I was hoping to break 200 reviews with the last chapter. That's okay! We were only off by one, and it'll pull through this time around! (unless everyone mutinies and doesn't review). Here's to everyone who did review!

Musicaldreams09- Thanks! I'm glad you like that I sent her off to a more remote location, though I must admit that I had my own motives behind that. Unfortunately, not much detail is described of Laos, as I'm a lazy butt that doesn't feel like researching for fun right now :O)

Clavel- I realize that I probably should have gone into what she felt like right away, but I think that will maybe come in later (no promises). I think the other two questions will be answered in this chapter, however. And this is definitely soon, especially compared to the last break of… six months?

Lady Knight of Kennan- yea, I did rush it quite a bit, but as I told musicaldreams, that is mostly due to the fact that I'm too lazy for the time being to research Laos and detail something that may have happened to her in the general public. I created an impoverished settlement type of deal for the purpose of the story. I hurried, but not too quickly, and thank you!

Gwen- thanks! I'm guessing when you say "unexpected" you are implying "twenty times faster than last time," unless I'm greatly mistaken.

Lil-Brat888- I'm glad you felt that Lily was a realistic character, and thank you very much for your review.

August 'roxy' Taylor- In a way, it is riches to rags, if not more of a feeling like that. (Almost 'Mame,' isn't it?) Lily is one of those people that needs to fit in, and if it helps that the way to fit in where she is now is to live as a pauper (to her), then so be it! It was more for the goodwill, blahblahblah… thanks for reviewing! Oh, is your name from 'Chicago'? The Roxy part, that is.

Chelsea Weasley- TIGGY! How could I be angry with you? You are pretty much my biggest 'fan'! :O) Yea, eleven was a little sad, but… oh, it was the day when everyone else was returning from winter vacation that she left Hogwarts, in her second year. This chapter goes into her sixth year. Oh, and you're allowed to bother me as much as you like! I was just teasing you, really :O) You and the other ol' faithfuls keep this machine running, however slowly that may be!

***

Lily turned back into herself, shocked at what had happened but pleased all the same.

"What was I?" she queried excitedly.

Vicky blinked and responded automatically, "A spider monkey. Why didn't I turn into anything?"

"Because you haven't said 'diddy daemose schlienkin' yet."

"Diddy daemose schlienkin?" Vicky repeated skeptically, promptly turning into a fluffy white bunny rabbit as she attempted to comment further on her cousin's sanity. She resumed her natural form, and could only muster up a "wow" along with a "why do I suddenly want carrots?"

Giggling, Lily remarked, "I've never seen so white a rabbit in my life."

Both girls broke down laughing for no apparent reason.

A while later, they were getting a kick out of popping in and out of their new forms. Lily had whipped up a record for them both, slipping it into an old, dusty file that would never be touched again. Seeing as how Vicky's parents were in charge of the local magical community, this was a sufficient amount to make them perfectly legal animagi.

They also had taken some of the pocket money that had been saved up, and caroused off to satisfy the craving for bananas Lily had acquired, and Vicky's need of carrots.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

A few months later, Charles found out about Lily and Vicky's secret. The couple was furious at the girls, but there wasn't much to be done about it.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Lily had been doing some figuring. It was late June by the time she'd solidified what she had planned. 

"The money I have in my bank account will cover clothes and school supplies, and a room somewhere for the next two summers. I could get a job to cover food, and maybe even have some money left over for a few frivolous things now and again," Lily concluded her speech.

She'd written Dumbledore, and he had said she would be very welcome back at Hogwarts if her guardians conceded. She also had sent in several job applications, both for in the muggle and wizarding world.

"Well, we won't let you go," Verona announced. She and her husband had discussed this, as they knew the day when Lily would want to leave was drawing near.

"I'm a big girl! I can take care of myself. Really, all I'd need would be a broom, and maybe an owl," Lily protested. Her old owl had keeled over in mid-May the previous year, and her broom had been donated to a large wizarding family a few weeks after her arrival.

Holding up a hand to stem any further protests from the girl, her uncle Charles completed, "You're not leaving without this." He dug into a cabinet and drew out a bag full of money. "We're not paupers, though we may live like them," Charles grinned. "This should be enough for a decent broom, owl, floo powder, maybe a few other things. Just be certain to write to us lots!"

"And don't go overboard with the luxury items," Verona warned as Lily's eyes filled with tears.

Embracing her relatives, Lily suddenly wondered out loud, "What will I tell Vicky?" The thought had come upon her like the single inky cloud in the bright sky to blot out the dazzling sun.

"Oh, I think she has something to tell you as well," Verona replied mysteriously.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"You're going to Beauxbatons?" Lily exclaimed happily, startling a few birds from a nearby tree due to sheer volume. "That's wonderful!" A dog barked from the high pitch her voice now held as she squealed.

The two girls were celebrating their imminent returns to fancy dresses and real shoes. "What else did Dumbledore tell you?" Vicky queried, knowing that Lily continued to retain information.

"Well, he said he wanted me to be a prefect!" Lily was elated. "See, one of the girls originally in my year went into hiding, and another one transferred to Durmstrang last year, and is completing school there. Only one of the girls that came during second year is still in Gryffindor." The others had been re-sorted since they had been officially accepted into Hogwarts, mostly due to their request.

"So why isn't the other girl a prefect?"

"She was last year… but I get better grades than she does, and he seems to think that I'm a tad bit more responsible than she," Lily grinned. I wonder who the last one in Gryffindor is…

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Lily stepped into the Leaky Cauldron wielding her half-empty trunk. Going up to the man behind the bar, she asked if any rooms were available for a short amount of time.

"I'm lucky it's summer time," Lily muttered after dumping her meager belongings in room twenty-nine. Still barefoot, Lily was in desperate need of shoes and clothes, quickly, even before seeking out a more permanent residence.

Thanking her lucky stars that it was a cloudless day, Lily headed out into muggle London loaded down with muggle money and returning with a new purse, much lighter. Her arms were laden with packages, however- summer clothes, fall clothes, winter clothes, and summer clothes aplenty, alongside a much-needed wallet and small bag. She'd stopped only once to get some fish and chips right before she re-entered the wizarding world, and it was a wonder that she managed all her bundles and eating without dropping everything.
"Time for school shopping!" Lily declared, snatching up her requested list and purchasing all the books and supplies she needed, leaving the robes and other such items for the next day's shopping. 

Two days later, Lily had moved out of the Leaky Cauldron and into a two room apartment (discounting the bathroom). There was a kitchen that doubled as a dining room and tripled as a living room, and a small bedroom with a tiny bathroom adjoined. 

Lily had been lucky to find such a sufficient and inexpensive apartment in Diagon Alley, especially since most of the furniture she'd be needing was already there. 

A special allowance had been made for Lily to be able to perform simple spells (such as a washing charm) to help provide for herself.
A month (and then some) had passed. Lily leaned out of one of the windows facing onto Diagon Alley. It was now mid-August, and she'd begun to see people that were vaguely familiar from years ago.

An owl from Hogwarts surprised her by flying in the open window and dropping a note off on the bed. Picking it up, Lily read:

Miss Evans- 

I apologize for neglecting to inform you of a few last things. You will be needing at least one set of dress robes for a series of balls the prefects, heads and a few teachers will be attending in the wintertime this year. Muggles dress clothes are also an option.
There will be a total of eleven balls over the course of two weeks, in a very prominent wizarding home, in case you would like to retrieve more formal attire than usual for the occasion.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

Lily smiled. It was time for more shopping! Being used to having only a small, open market for exchange, having the ability to prance from store to store with coins jingling in her pocket was still a novelty.

After retrieving several fancy outfits from the muggle world, Lily returned to her apartment briefly to deposit her newest purchases on her bed. When she was in Madam Malkin's robe shop, she quite literally ran into another girl while carrying some robes to a fitting room.

Glancing briefly at the other girl, Lily did a double take. "Hi, Rhiannon," she said softly, smiling as she remembered their first introduction. That was the only time that they'd really got along.

Lily remembered the people that had once made her life a living hell, but her parents had always told her to "forgive and forget."

She was willing to bet that the others had already accomplished the "forget" part, and she was prepared to fulfill at least the "forgive."

The redhead was satisfied with her assumptions of being forgotten when she received a bland, "Hi," with no flicker of recognition in the other girl's eyes.

Both continued on their paths with no further exchange.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Back in her room, Lily discovered a letter from her cousin, with a small package beside it.

Lily- Go find a television and a VCR to watch this. it has got to be the funniest movie in the world, and trust me, I've been watching loads of them since I got here. –Vicky

Having some empty time on her hands, Lily decided to meet her neighbors and see if anyone happened to have a television set.

The third door she tried opened up to an eccentric-looking old woman, whose semi-frail frame couldn't completely hide the fact that her apartment was bedecked in modern items.

Lily extended her hand, smiling. "Lily Evans, I'm one of your neighbors for a little while."

"I'm Sydney Legg," the old woman replied, firmly grasping Lily's hand.

Deciding to throw formalities to the wind, Lily cut right to the chase. "I was wondering if, by any chance, you had a television, and would like to watch this movie with me." Drawing out a bunch of brownies, she threw in, "I even brought some snacks!"

A few minutes later, Lily and Sydney were situated on a bright pink couch in front of a new television set, giggling at the random events on the screen in front of them.

"How do you know she's a witch?" a man calmly queried a crowd of people that had shoved a beautiful girl with a pointed hood and a carrot secured around her head by a length of rope.

"'Cause she looks like one!" a boy in the crowd squawked.

"It's not my nose," the girl insisted as the man peeled the carrot up to peer beneath. "They put it on me."

"Did you?" he directed at the crowd.

"No… no…" they said, shaking their heads. "Well, yes, yes… and the hat."

Beyond the giggling point at the sheer stupidity, Lily attempted to repress her laughter, and failed miserably.

The movie- "Monty Python and the Holy Grail"- was absolutely hilarious. Lily and Sydney became good friends over the laughter and brownies, very good friends indeed.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Lily double-checked her room to make sure everything was packed up, aside from what she'd need before the next day. It was the last day and August, and she and Sydney were going to have a good-bye ice cream until the next summer vacation.

Grabbing her purse, Lily pranced down the stairs, and briefly knocked on Sydney's door before poking her head in. "Sydney? Are you ready?" Lily called.

There was no sign of the lady in the kitchen-that-was-a-dining-room-that-was-a-living-room area. She treaded across to the bedroom door, which was slightly ajar. "Syd?"

Still no response.

When she peeked into the bedroom, she nearly fainted.

What had been a perfectly healthy, albeit a crazy, old lady, now was a perfectly dead old lady, dressed up in her Sunday best, spread across the bed.

Lily immediately picked up her wand and muttered the spell to summon medical help, before she knelt softly beside the bed and grabbed the lady's hands.

"Sydney… oh, my Lord, Sydney…" she muttered before letting a muffled sob escape her lips.

"Hello? Is anyone in here?" she heard a voice call from the kitchen area.

"She's in the bedroom," Lily called softly. "I think she's… she's…"

She was unable to say the dreaded word, but she needn't have bothered. The emergency call man understood.

He came in, and was able to assess the situation quickly. Escorting Lily back out to the bright pink couch that she and Sydney had had such good times on, he explained to her that even the most healthy senior citizens are apt to have heart attacks, and that this happened to be a particularly violent one that killed her.

Miserable, Lily allowed him to remove Sydney's corpse, and then crept back to her room and wrote the Hogwarts Headmaster a note, explaining that her arrival at school would be delayed by a few days.

The next morning, she searched Sydney's apartment and found a book of names and people that she'd known recently, and owled them all, informing them of the passing away, and when a funeral and wake would be held.

When the funeral and wake were over, and all the legalities had been gone through, Lily had a bright pink couch, a television, and a VCR to remind her of all the good times they'd had in the past. It was an odd match, but one that had been destined to last as long as either one lived.

When Dumbledore had assured her the couch would have plenty of room in the dormitory, Lily sent the three inherited items ahead with the majority of her belongings to the school. Making a last stop at the graveyard to place a fresh bouquet of flowers over Sydney's grave, Lily went to the portkey point to go back to school, only five days late and with a very heavy heart.

~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N take two: Well, about my above comment of wanting to break 200 reviews… thanks to ronnieweasley (if I'm ever inspired, "My Child" will have more, and you naughty girl! Ruining all my fun on the boards… :OP ) and Weasleys Wizard Wheezes (thanks! I'm glad you like it, and that you were able to recognize my name! :OD ) I did! So thanks everyone! Here's another chapter, and the following one will come within a few weeks, hopefully.

I also deeply apologize for when it changes fonts and scrolls sideways- it's a problem that I've yet to figure out the cure for, so we'll just have to suffer. (Note: It truly is four and a half pages long, though! Not shabby…)