Prongs and Lil: The Seventh Year and Beyond
A/N: This is my first story, so it'd be great if you reviewed, thanx! I'll try to keep the chapters short so you have an easy place to stop if you need to... Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Oh the horror!!! I don't James, or Lily or Remus or, well, any other character created by the wonderful and creative Joanne Kathleen Rowling.
Beep......Beep......Beep......BEEP......BEEEEEEEEP
It was the summer before James Potter's Seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He threw a pillow over at his alarm clock, shutting it up. Suddenly, he remembered! He didn't have to try to break the alarm clock with a pillow! He was of age now! He could do magic outside of school! Just to celebrate, he picked up his wand from the bedside table, unplugged his alarm clock (with a charm of course), and made it do a few cart wheels before getting dressed and waiting for the owl that would deliver The Daily Prophet, the wizard newspaper.
In a little while, the owl came. James gave it the traditional fee of 5 Knuts and looked at the front page. Sure enough, Voldemort had struck again, this time bringing down a Muggle neighborhood. He scanned the names of the wizard casualties, who had come to help, and thankfully, there was no one he knew.
Suddenly, another owl slammed into him. It was Beater, James' best friend Sirius Black's owl. Beater was named because he acted like a Bludger, which had been his name until he pooped on Sirius' favorite bat, and Sirius changed his name promptly. Sirius wasn't a very serious person, but he was a very serious Beater. He and James were both on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. James was Seeker and Captain, while Sirius was Beater. The other people on the team included the Keeper; Danielle Harris, the Chasers; Katy Woods, Phil Harris (Danielle's twin) and Maria Smith, and the other Beater; Aaron Jennings. They were the best team so far in Hogwarts history, and had won every game they played since James had become Captain.
James ripped open the letter and started reading...
Prongs,
Miss me? Have you heard from the love of your life yet? I just know got my Hogwarts letter, you should be getting yours soon. I'm going to Diagon Alley with Remus tomorrow. Sorry I had to leave your place, but I couldn't stand getting spoiled anymore, and besides, with all the money Uncle Alphard left me, I'm doing pretty well on my own. Come visit me if you can! Urgh, I'm getting of topic! Okay, anyway, can you come with us to Diagon Alley? I'm sending Peter a copy of this too in a minute. Write back soon, you know how much Beat likes to be kept waiting.
This was true, Beater was already pecking James' solder impatiently.
Make sure to tell me when you hear a nice word from Lily!
Your fellow Marauder,
Padfoot
James could hear his parents starting to move around downstairs, and he went down to ask his mom about Diagon Alley, still with Beater on his shoulder, pecking him even more vigorously now.
"Mom!" James yelled.
"Yes James? In the kitchen! Catty's getting breakfast!" She responded, referring to the family house-elf, who preferred Catty to her real name, Catherine, which was an awfully long name for a house-elf.
"Sirius asked me if I can go to Diagon Alley tomorrow." He said, entering the kitchen, "Can I?" He inquired.
"Of course, have you got your letter yet?"
Right on cue, a tawny owl zipped in through the chimney.
"Now I do!"
He opened it and read it quickly;
Dear Mr. Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you will be coming back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this fall for you Seventh and final year. Enclosed is a list of all school supplies you will need for the upcoming year. Term will start on the usual date, September 1, and the Hogwarts Express leaves promptly at 11:00. We are also pleased that you have been selected to be this years Head Boy. We congratulate you, and know that you will do well. Your badge is also enclosed.
Prof. A. Dumbledore
Deputy Headmaster
Wait, what was that last part? James thought, rereading it.
We are also pleased that you have been selected as this years Head Boy.
Head boy? ME? Thought James, then he showed the letter to his mother to make sure he wasn't dreaming.
"JAMES! YOU'RE HEAD BOY?!?!?!" His mother screamed excitedly. She seemed to be thinking he was tricking her.
"What? Did I hear-" James' father said as he entered the kitchen.
"IT'S JAMES!!! HE'S HEAD BOY!!!!!!!!" His mother yelled.
Mr. Potter looked at James with a surprised look in his eyes.
"You're really Head Boy? Your not tricking us, are you?" He asked James seriously.
"No, Dad, I'm not kidding, it's my name on the letter." Said James, still recovering from the shock of it all.
"WOW!!!" His father said, seeing the serious look on his son's face. "This calls for a present! How 'bout a new broom?"
"Well... I've always wanted an owl, the broom I have right now is just fine." James replied.
"I think we can manage that. Do you know what kind you'd like?" His mother asked him.
"I think a snowy would be great. I'll need help thinking of a name though." James stated.
"Wait until you get it to name it. When are we going to Diagon Alley?" His father asked, since he had not heard the conversation earlier.
"Tomorrow. Sirius and Remus will be there too." James said.
"Excellent. Well, that's cleared up, when's breakfast?" Mr. Potter asked.
"Coming now Master Henry." Piped up a small, squeaky voice. Catty set a tray up on the table, and, seeing how she was shorter then it, this was quite difficult.
"Oh! Here Catty, let me get that for you." Mrs. Potter said, reaching down to help Catty.
"Thank you Mistress Iris. You is always very kind to Catty." The little house-elf thanked her.
"Think nothing of it."
They ate breakfast, then James went to reply to Sirius' letter. Beater knew better then to fly always without a reply, but James wanted to hurry just in case.
Padfoot,
I can come tomorrow, but I've got even better news! I'm Head Boy!!! I bet you're thinking 'Yeah, right...' But I am! I guess detentions don't matter in the world of brains, do they? I've got to send letters to Remus and Peter too, so I've gotta go now. And Lily Evans isn't the 'love of my life'!
Your friend, Prongs
PS Did you hear about the Death Eaters attacking that Muggle neighborhood? That wasn't very comforting news. I didn't know anybody who died, do you?
Lily Evans felt a gust of wind as the owl delivering The Daily Prophet she paid it, then read.
Of course, Voldemort had struck again. She gasped as she read the Muggle names. Jessie Calahan!!! Oh no!!!
She ran downstairs and started sobbing into her mother's arms.
"Oh, Lily baby, what is it?" Mrs. Evans asked, stroking her 17 year old daughter's hair.
"Mom, it's Jessie! He got Jessie!" She said weeping.
"What? Who got Jessie? Lils, what are you talking about?"
"Voldemort, mom. He killed Jessie and her family!"
Her mother gasped, "The Calahans? They're gone?"
"Yes mom! Jessie's gone! She's gone forever!"
Jessie Calahan had been Lily's best friend for as long as she could remember. Before Lily had started at Hogwarts, they had gone to the same school, had sleep-overs and done all the things normal girls would do. They had shared their deepest, darkest secrets. Jessie was the only Muggle besides Lily's own family who knew Lily could do magic. Jessie's older sister, Nancy, was Petunia(her older sister by two years)'s best friend, and Ben, Jessie's older brother had been Petunia's boyfriend.
"Do you think you can go tell Petunia, or do you want me to?"
"I will Mom, thanks though."
Lily went up to Petunia's room, and knocked on her door.
"Petunia?" She said tentatively, knowing the response she was going to get.
"What, freak." She said, her words stinging Lily, who was starting to sob again.
"FINE! Come in." Freak, she added under her breath.
"Petunia, the Calahans are gone." Lily said timidly, entering Petunia's room.
"What did you say?" Petunia said, already wide-eyed.
"I said, the Calahans are gone."
"Gone? What do you mean?"
"They're dead Petunia, gone. Jessie, Nancy, Ben, all of them."
"Who? Who did it?" Petunia said, already starting to cry also.
"Voldemort." Lily whispered.
"Oh, Lily!" Petunia said, almost sounding sisterly for a moment.
They embraced, something both sisters would normally have resented. But this was not normal circumstances.
"Come on, let's go downstairs for breakfast." Petunia encouraged Lily.
She nodded, and followed Petunia downstairs, where their mother was already baking pancakes, both her daughters' favorite breakfast.
Lily tried to smile weakly at her mother, but it looked more like a grimace.
They ate is silence, but finally Lily's father came in from upstairs, he was always sleeping in, especially on weekends.
He had no clue what was going on, and said, "Oh, come on, why the long faces? Where are the pretty faces of the girls I know?"
"Dad, it's the Callahans. Oh, Daddy! They were killed by Voldemort!"
Mr. Evans face paled, and he sat down nest to his wife, holding her hand.
"Let's pray for them and for their friends.", he said in a serious, but comforting voice, and as they prayed, Lily felt as if a little weight was rolling of her shoulders.
"Amen." They all said, and it appeared that they all felt better.
"Dad, can we go to Diagon Alley tomorrow? There was an advertisement in The Daily Prophet that said they were having a sale on some books I think I'll need in Flourish and Blotts."
"Did you get your letter yet?" Petunia sneered.
"Well, no, but-"
"So if you didn't get your letter-"
Then, right on cue, a snowy owl burst in through the open window.
Lilly grabbed it's letter, which seemed slightly heavier then usual, and it was on its way.
Dear Miss Evans,
We are pleased to inform you that you will be coming back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this fall for you Seventh and final year. Enclosed is a list of all school supplies you will need for the upcoming year. Term will start on the usual date, September 1, and the Hogwarts Express leaves promptly at 11:00. We are also pleased that you have been selected to be this years Head Girl. We congratulate you, and know that you will do well. Your badge is also enclosed.
Prof. A. Dumbledore
Deputy Headmaster
"DAD!" she screamed, all sadness gone, "I'M HEAD GIRL!!"
"What?" Petunia snapped.
"I'M HEAD GIRL!!!"
"Well joy, why don't you alert the media."
"AHHHH!!!" she screamed in joy, "Oh, I've got to write my friends!" she exclaimed with sudden realization.
She dashed up the stairs, grabbing a quill and some parchment.
I'M HEAD GIRL!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!! Anyway, with my most exciting news told, I'm going to Diagon Alley tomorrow, can you come with?
A very excited Head Girl, Lilly
She copied those words onto three other pieces of parchment, one to Samantha, a pretty blonde who got detention almost as much as the Marauders, one to Belle, a black-haired beauty who wasn't very smart, but liked to try to keep up in her classes, and one to Danielle Harris, a fair brunette who also happened to be the Keeper for the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
After she had done that, she was about to phone Jessie with the news when she remembered... She added a P.S. on the letters saying:
P.S. My best Muggle-friend Jessie Callahan died in Voldemort's attack on the Muggle neighborhood. I'm very excited about being Head Girl, but this... I just might need a boyfriend this year girls... I'll try to be happy, but I've known her forever. I gotta go... Lils
She started sobbing again, remembering the long telephone conversations, the secret meetings at midnight, the silly things they did when they where little, everything they had ever done together...
She could hear Petunia sobbing all night in her room too...