Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or events associated with Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling owns everything! Except my creative juices that helped to form this plot and writing.
The Wind Through My Hair
Lily woke up very reluctantly as she fumbled out of the very soft bed. When she had fully opened her eyes, she had wished she hadn't chosen such a pink room. It gave her a shock as well as a slight headache. The pink, believe it or not, was ghastly to look at when it was so early in the morning. Actually, it was not that early, only 10 o' clock in the morning, but it always feels early when you just wake up.
Lily got changed into a pair of robes, deciding she was going to explore Diagon Alley, and turned to go to the bathroom. Only, she did not know where the bathroom was, and through which door she was supposed to go. There were at least five doors in that room, and they could all very well lead her to anywhere. Lily shuddered to think of all the awkward situations she could walk in on. She shrugged and sat down; perhaps if she thought about it logically, she could use process of elimination to figure out which door would possibly lead her to her to the bathroom.
Well, of course every room had a door that lead the circular room with the kitchen. And then, she remembered the first room she had seen that reminded her of a library contained a lot of doors; it would only make sense for every room to have a door leading there. So, two doors down, only three to go. Well, that was easy enough; she could go through each of the three, and see which one lead her to the bathroom. She already knew which door lead her to the kitchen, so she skipped that one, and opened the next door. It was the library. Next door opened into a long, dark and narrow hallway. Lily groaned as she realized that there were more doors in that hall. Lily decided that she had better check the others before venturing into that hall, but she then thought that she'd eventually have to check it out anyways. So Lily walked in and checked each door on each side of the hall, unearthing some really kempt rooms like studies, a room full of artifacts, and even a greenhouse. She also found some old, dusty rooms, that looked as if they hadn't been touched in years.
Finally, Lily reached the end of the hall, and the very last door. Unlike the others, the light was on in this one. She extended her hand to turn the knob, until she realized that there were people in the room from the muffled talking. Her curiosity got the better of her as she strained her ears to listen, in the end, resorting to pressing her ear against the door.
"I cannot believe him sometimes, Sirius, I really can't!"
"I know you're upset mate, but your dad's only trying to look out for you," said Sirius.
"Sirius, that's not even the worst of it. Do you know what he said to me? Do you?" said James. Even when Lily couldn't hear his voice properly, she could tell that his tone of voice was a mixture of anger and pain.
"What did he say?" Sirius could be heard sighing, resignedly.
"He said...he said that I don't work hard enough and I'm not making him proud like Damian had done. Does he even know how much it hurts to be compared to Damian? He just...totally went off on how I wasn't going up to his expectations, and a load of dung about my future. I don't even know how we started talking about that. And comparing me to Damian...I cannot believe that; after what he's become."
"Hey...you, uh, make me proud..." said Sirius. Obviously he was not practiced at this.
"I don't care if I make you proud, ya' git. Don't get me wrong, you're my mate and all, but it's just not the same. I just want to make him proud. I must sound like a real git right now," James said, letting out a hollow laugh.
Lily walked away, feeling very awkward, and ashamed for having listened on such a private conversation. She couldn't help wondering though, who was Damian? Lily had never thought of James as that type, to want to make his parents proud. She hadn't known a lot about him, and suddenly, Lily felt her heart go out to him. Lily could simply not imagine her own parents pressuring her like that, or being disappointed in her. Thinking of her parents caused a stab of pain she had not expected, but thankfully, it was not as strong as it had been the last time she had thought about them.
As suddenly as the pity had come, it had gone, replaced by slight annoyance. James must not like his parents very much, from the sound of it, and it made Lily aggravated. He just didn't appreciate his parents, did he? James had his own mother and father right there and now, and he was totally ungrateful. Lily had lost her own parents and did not fully appreciate them until now. I'm a little late, aren't I. Lily though, bitterly. However, Lily was not totally blinded by anger, and still had a rational part of her mind working; perhaps she was misjudging James? After all, until now, she hadn't realized she knew so little about him.
Well then, that settles it. I'm going to find out about James. Well, what else could she do? He was letting her stay in her home- the least she could do is get to know him.
xxx
Coincidentally, the very next door in her room was the bathroom, and had she not explored all those other rooms in that hall, she would have been done at least an hour ago and at breakfast (or maybe even finished). The bathroom was almost as large as the room itself, with a large, shallow bathtub, big enough for Lily to sprawl out in and sleep in, if there was no water in it. Across from the tub were two sinks, both with five different taps on it. Lily tested each of them, and found they worked not differently from the taps in the Head boy and Head girl's bathroom. The floor was clear, and looked like wet ice, but surprisingly enough, it was warm, probably to keep you comfortable after you stepped out of the water. Lily was impressed, but since everything else in the house was so extravagant, the surprise factor had worn off.
It took Lily several tries to find the tap that had normal water in it so she could brush her teeth ad wash her face. A quick wash, and she was ready to go out and face Potter's parents again. It was nerve wrecking for some reason, even though her and James were not close at all, and Lily was normally very calm in situations with adults. It just seemed so different with other people's parents. Lily did not make the mistake of looking casual, and brushed her hair, straightened her robes, and made sure she was glowing and healthy looking before heading out.
She walked out and headed for the door in her room that lead to the kitchen. She opened the door but stopped walking out when she heard voices; Lily had thus far avoided any awkward confrontations or interrupted any really private conversations, and she did not want to start now.
"I thought he said he was leaving in a few days?" asked James.
"Yes, Love, I know he said that. But your father's a very busy man," Mrs. Potter said with a stern face. But upon seeing the look on her own son's features, her demeanor become softer. "I know you wanted him to stay longer, but it can't be helped. I'll be downstairs opening the store, alright?"
"Alright, mum," he mumbled, as she swept away.
Lily stared at him, and James seemed to have felt a pair of eyes on him as he turned to look back.
He gave her a strained smile. "Dad's a busy guy, y'know? It's no problem..."
"I..." Lily thought about saying she quite understood, but really, she had no experience in this matter, and decided to simply try to make him feel better. She had never seen James look like that- he always seemed so happy; and why shouldn't he be? His life was perfect. "I'm going to Diagon Alley today. Thought I might explore it a bit. I could use a guide," Lily said, smiling at him.
"Ah, my fair lady, after you," said James, as he went into a mock half-bow and motioned for her to move ahead. "I shall show you the bustling and historic streets of Diagon Alley. If you would just follow right through that door, madam..."
xxx
It was at Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor that Lily and James finally sat down after walking for about an hour at a small table for three that was outside in the sunshine. Lily couldn't help but feel she was in the 1920's or something, with the old fashioned styled ice cream shop. Sirius had gone along, and he was currently getting the ice cream (as he had so enthusiastically volunteered). Lily realized this was her chance to get to know James.
"So James, what's your favorite color?"
"What?" he asked. It did sound strange and out of the blue, after all.
"You heard. What's your favorite color?"
"Um, Red. Why do you ask?"
"What's your favorite subject?" Lily asked, completely disregarding any other comments besides answers to her questions.
"Transfiguration," he said, still getting over confusion.
"What's your favorite cologne?"
"What sort of question is that?"
"Just answer it!" Lily snapped. How was she supposed to learn anything about him if he just kept making the conversation difficult?
"I don't really have one...but I suppose...well, no, I don't suppose anything. I don't have a favorite cologne. What sort of git has a favorite?"
"What's your favorite...er..." Lily glanced around her for suggestions. "Ice cream?"
"Chocolate."
"Chocolate? That is so boring!" Lily exclaimed. "Do you mean to tell me you don't like some weird ice cream with a long title that's original? Just...chocolate?"
"Yes, chocolate! What's wrong with chocolate?"
"You don't like Rocky Road, or Cookies and Cream, or Chocolate Chip, or Banana Nut Muffin, or Butter Pecan, or Double Chunk Chocolate?"
"As long as it's got chocolate...all tastes the same to me. I don't see the point of this, what are you going at?" James asked.
Lily had to think of more questions. These weren't good enough, and she wasn't learning anything. What was something guys liked talking about?
"What sort of girls do you like?" she asked, without thinking.
James stared at her blankly until he broke into a smirk. "Ah, I see now. You just wanted to pretend to ask all those questions, and then see what sort of girl I like to see if I like you, right? Hah, Lily Evans, you are sly!" he said, cheekily. Lily felt herself go pink.
"I did not ask that because I want to know if you like me!"
"Well, if you really want to know...I like girls with....red hair!" James said smirking so profoundly it irked Lily more than it ever had before. He was teasing her. "Hm, what else do I find attractive? Well, a pair of really gorgeous green eyes are a must."
"Oh, shut up!" Lily said. She was progressively turning more and more pink.
"Then, she's got to be shorter than me, oh yes, can't have a taller girl, now can we? And...what else do I have to have? Well her name has to be Lily. I won't date anyone without the name Lily," he said. His smirks were borderline hysterical laughter.
"You're so bloody stupid," Lily said. She couldn't help herself, but whether it was the humor of the situation or the look on James's face, Lily didn't know, but she burst out laughing. James could not fence in his own laughter anymore, and promptly began as well.
"Ah, you lovebirds getting long well while I'm gone?" Sirius said, feigning a look of hurt while placing a bowl of chocolate ice cream in front of James and strawberry in front of Lily. For himself, he was holding an extremely large bowl, at least twice the size of both Lily and James's combined, filled with many different flavors of ice cream, covered in chocolate syrup, and topped with whipped cream and a cherry. It seemed he had already started, and didn't notice the appalled looks he was receiving from his two friends.
"You're actually going to eat all of that?!" Lily asked.
"So, what did you two talk about while I was gone?" Sirius asked, ignoring her.
"That's absolutely disgusting, Sirius," said James. "And Lily asked me a bunch of questions from nowhere. She now knows my favorite cologne, my favorite color, and my favorite ice cream...Hey! You've not got a special sort of ice cream either! How come you can criticize me for liking chocolate? That's totally unfair," James said, after spotting Lily's ordinary strawberry ice cream.
"Well, you're popular and your a boy. I just thought complicated ice cream and people like you go hand-in-hand, is all.""You have lead a very unguided life, my friend," said Sirius, almost half done with his sundae.
"Anyways, back to questions. I've got a whole new batch of them...have either of you got brothers or sisters?" she asked.
Sirius eyes darted so quickly to James, Lily thought she had imagined it, and then responded quickly. "I've got a younger brother. He's a big git, if you know what I mean. I'm sure you already know that I have one though; he goes to Hogwarts, little git," Sirius said darkly.
"Surely you don't hate him, though?" Lily asked, startled at the look in Sirius's eyes.
"Oh no, I don't hate him. I just don't like him, is all. I sure as hell don't love him, if that's what you're wondering."
"Er...what about you James?" Lily asked, hoping to get the subject away from Sirius.
Sirius answered quickly again. "My brother's going to be a 5th year this year. I hope he isn't a prefect- surely Dumbledore isn't that off his rocker." Lily raised her eyebrows, and looked at James with her eyebrows raised.
"Um...so, anyways, have you got any siblings, James?" Sirius almost interuppted again, but James answered before he could.
"No. I haven't," James said. It would have been a normal enough answer to any other person, but Lily noticed for a fleeting second a change of emotion in James's eyes and there had been a definite pained note in his voice, though hardly detectable. It was gone as soon as she saw it though, and something told Lily that he didn't want to talk about it. James was smiling now though, and joking with Sirius, and those other emotions that Lily had seen for a second seemed far away.
"Right, we had better get going if you want to see more of Diagon Alley. There's still a lot more, you know," said James, smiling and ruffling his hair. Lily could not forget how he had looked, but pushed it aside. He looked fine now.
xxx
The next week passed by without occurrence, and life at the Potter's became comfortable. Lily become more familiar with all the twists and turns of the house, and she had plenty to keep her occupied. There were enough books to keep her interested for the rest of her life. Over time, Lily had realized that she was insanely jealous of James; he had both his parents, he had enough books to last a lifetime, he was rich, and everyone liked him. The week before school had started, and he received a Cleansweep 7, the latest and most expensive in broom technology, Lily forgot about all the small things about James she had been wondering about and decided that James had the perfect life. She had actually gotten quite close to both of the boys, but still could not drown the nauseating feeling in her stomach whenever she compared her own life to his.
That next week, Hogwarts lettered arrived, and Lily weighed the package in her hand before opening it. It was more heavy than usual. She ripped it open, and a shiny silver badge with the words Head Girl slipped out. Lily let out a shriek of happiness and hugged it to her chest.
"I. AM. HEAD. GIRL! AHH!" Lily shouted, while prancing in a circle around James and Sirius.
"Bloody hell, Lily, you don't have to shout like a banshee!" Sirius tried yelling over her. James nodded wearily.
"Phew, I'm better now. This is so great! I wonder who Head Boy is," Lily said wonderingly. James and Sirius shrugged.
"I dunno, probably Remus or something. You'll find out on the train when you have to hang out in that special compartment, or whatever," said James.
"Segregation," Sirius muttered under his breath.
"Hey! Prefects and heads deserve their own compartment for working so hard! It's not segregation!" Lily said.
"Keep telling yourself that," Sirius said.
"Don't worry, I will," said Lily.
"Fine then. Trick yourself," said Sirius.
"Shut up, the both of you," James said while looking at his book list.
xxx
They got their books and, when the day came two days later to leave for the Hogwarts Express, they all left together in a black Jaguar that Mrs. Potter had borrowed from the Ministry.
After going through the platform and arriving on the train, Lily parted ways with James and Sirius, who went to meet up with Remus and Peter. She decided that she'd try to find Diana and Sarah before going to the prefects' and heads' compartment. Checking through every one, she finally found them sitting together with several other of their other mutual friends.
"Hello," Lily said, smirking, and making her Head Girl's badge perfectly visable. Both Sarah and Diana shrieked and hugged her.
"Oh my gosh! You're head girl, Lily!" Sarah said, as if Lily did not already know. "YOU ARE HEAD GIRL! Do you know this?!"
Diana was grinning and telling the other confused girls why they were screaming.
"Wow, it's good to know that we've got someone competent as Head Girl," said Lauren Abbot.
"Thanks," said Lily. "I've got to tell you guys about my summer!" Lily began at the beginning about how she had left Petunia's house in a rage, and how she had flagged down the ultra slow Knight Bus for the first time. When she mentioned she had ended up staying at James's house, nearly all of their jaws dropped. Sona Patil was the first to recover as she jumped up and had a look of excitedness and envy mixed together.
"Oh, shite! How was that? At the lovely James's house for like, an entire month?! You must be the luckiest girl alive!" she said. "I've got to tell Katie!" Sona said, while dashing out of the compartment.
"Er, it really wasn't a big deal," Lily said, as all of their voices were heard at the same time, asking questions and saying how much they wished they were her. Lily soon tired of being asked all these questions- she was tolerable at first, but soon remembered why she had hated them so much. They were the most pointless questions ever, and she excused herself. She did have a reason- she was supposed to be in the compartment giving instructions to the new Prefects.
She arrived in the compartment about five minutes late, and walked in, scanning the small group of people for a face she knew was a 7th year.
Her eyes stopped, ands he shook her head- surely, it was not him? How would she be able to work with him? He called her a mudblood nearly everyday...
"Hello Mudblood Evans," he said with a nasty sneer on his face.
"...Snape? How did you become head boy?" really, that was stupid. Of course he was head boy- he made top grades and was a very hard worker. It should have been expected. Lily's mouth was betraying her though. "You're completely rude! You're completely evil!"
People in the compartment were beginning to stare. "Evans, if you can't act professional, I think I'll have to have a word with Professor Dumbledore about how immature you are," Snape said, smirking.
"I...You...AGH!" Lily sputtered.
"Right, now that we've agreed on something, we can begin. Prefects, you will patrol in house pairs and check to see no one is misbehaving on the train. It would be most unfortunate if someone fell out of a window or something," he said.
Lily tried to find her voice and take charge as well. She did not want to seem like an idiot. "Right, and...er..." she paused to try and think of something else to say. "Don't abuse your power. Er...you can go now." Everyone scattered lazily and went n different directions down the aisle of compartments.
Lily and Snape had to wait for all the Prefects to leave, then they could go patrol themselves. Lily sent him a glare and walked out of the compartment. "I suppose I'll see you at the meeting tonight," she said. The least she could do was be somewhat civil towards him; they did have to work together for the rest of the year. Lily groaned and it dawned on her just how horrible that was going to be.
A/N: So, what do you think? I was trying to break away from the oh-so-common 'James-as-Head-Boy' situation. I thought this made the most sense, and it should make for interesting situations in their 7th year. So, enjoy! And don't forget to review. =D
