Summary: MWPP and LJ. With the distant looming of a war growing, it's time for past grievances to be forgotten and for two enemies to be brought together, no matter how much persuasion it takes.
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. Never have, never will.
Chapter One: Of Letters and Alleyways
Lily Evans turned soundlessly in her bed and sighed, willing herself to get up. It was only till she heard the clatter of breakfast being made downstairs did she reluctantly pull the covers out and inch out of her bed. Rubbing her eyes, she yawned, turned her head towards the windowsill, and gave a start.
An owl perched there, ruffling its brown and white speckled feathers with importance, clutching a letter by its talons.
Lily wasn't surprised; owls were a common use of transporting information through the wizarding world, as Lily was a witch. But this particular owl didn't belong to either of her two best friends, Paris Adams and Persephone Sophronia. Nor did it belong to that infernal James Potter. She should know, considering the countless letters he sent her asking for a date.
Lily's blood boiled at the very thought of Potter. He always 'stalked' her, embarrassed her, and was such an arrogant git with an ego the size of England that words couldn't even begin to describe him. Lily would have liked nothing better than to beat him over the head numerous times with a broomstick and watch him suffer.
Well, perhaps not that drastic, but something along those lines.
The owl gave a hoot of impatience and glared at her.
Lily blinked. She had forgotten all about the owl. Untying the letter from its talons, she turned it over. It was addressed to her, Lily Evans, yes, in bright green ink that matched her eyes, but who was it from? Her eyes wandered to the sender and gasped.
It was from Hogwarts.
Why on earth had Hogwarts sent her a letter? She hadn't done anything wrong…had she? Lily racked her brain. Well, there was that one time at the end of sixth year when she called Potter a particularly bad name, but that was nearly three months ago, and surely that was nothing compared to the pranks Potter and his little gang played. Honestly, you would think that the teachers would hand them more detentions, but that Sirius Black always buttered his way out of any severe punishments. It was infuriating, really, to see them get away with everything.
Lily paused, her hand still wavering over the seal of the envelope.
Remus Lupin was all right, she supposed. He was rather good looking in a quiet sort of way and wasn't wild or outlandish like his friends. But Peter Pettigrew—he was short and stout, with those watery blue eyes and stringy, unkempt dirty blondish hair and didn't seem to belong at all. He was rather like a 'servant' in terms for the rest of the Marauders, as they called themselves. His popularity came only because the other three were his friends…otherwise Lily didn't know where he would be.
Then there was James Potter and Sirius Black. Lily shuddered with anger. Honestly, those two were incorrigible. Of course, they were both devilishly good looking, but looks counted for absolutely nothing compared to personality. Both were top pranksters and caused trouble at every turn. It was all Lily could do to keep them from destroying the whole school.
She smiled, remembering her days as Prefect.
I wonder who'll get Head Girl this year, she mused absentmindedly, looking back at the seal.
Lily's head shot straight back up again. Head Girl! Of course…maybe she had gotten Head Girl!
She sighed and fingered the envelope. No, of course not. Nothing interesting ever happened in her life, and this was no exception.
Of course, she was the smartest witch in her year with perfect grades and all OWLs but that meant nothing. The day something even remotely interesting happened to Lily would be the day when Potter declared himself officially over her.
Never.
And there was always the possibility that the letter was the Hogwarts supplies list. The envelope was a bit bulgy for that, but maybe there were more books to be needed that year.
Well, I'll never know unless I open the letter, thought Lily with a grimace. She walked to her desk and picked up a pair of scissors, carefully trimming the top of the envelope. With trembling letters she slowly pulled the letter out and began to unfold it.
"LILY! BREAKFAST!" A sneering face peered through the doorway. "Didn't you hear me? I said it's breakfast, you freak. And get that filthy owl out of your room! Haven't you any idea what dirt it'll bring in from outside? I suppose not, you being freakish like you are."
Lily closed her eyes and willed herself not to yell at her sister, Petunia. It didn't work.
"Get. Out. Of. My. ROOM!" Lily half screamed. "Honestly, can't you annoy me some other time? You must have a life other than making me want to beat you to a bloody pulp."
Petunia opened the door a little more and stepped into Lily's room, scowling. "You're a pathetic, filthy, freak. Why don't you just go back to that school where you belong? And stay there!"
Lily's eyes began to fill with tears, much as she tried not to. Hastily she wiped a hand across her face and pushed Petunia out of her room, quickly locking it behind her, ignoring the shrieks of rage that Petunia gave on the other side of the door. As much as she tried not to take it to heart, Petunia's hatred of her always hurt her.
Though they were sisters, Petunia and Lily were completely different; Lily being soft and pretty with burning emerald eyes and long, auburn hair, whilst Petunia was tall and had a horse-like face covered in blond hair, with a pair of two muddy brown eyes peeking out.
They were rather close when they were younger. Even though Lily was showered with attention from her parents, Petunia kept her jealousy in. Petunia gradually came to dislike Lily more and more because of the 'freakish' incidents that would occur just before Lily got her Hogwarts acceptance letter. When she did get the letter though, things went entirely downhill. Petunia's dislike of Lily intensified by a hundred.
Shaking her head, Lily bent down to pick the letter from the ground. Honestly, if there are any more interruptions I'll jump out the window, she thought to herself. Slowly she unfolded the letter and squeezed her eyes hut. Okay, on the count of three I'll open it. One, two, three.
Lily looked down and gasped, her eyes as wide as two saucers.
Dear Miss Evans,
We are pleased to announce that your hard work has paid off, and you are qualified for the position of Head Girl. Enclosed is your Head Girl Badge and supplies list for the upcoming year seven. If you choose to accept the position, please owl us twenty four hours of within receiving this letter.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress of HogwartsLily's mind went blank. Then, all of a sudden, several thoughts raced through it at once. I'm Head Girl! I'm Head Girl! I'M HEAD GIRL!
Lily's hands shook with excitement as she read through the letter again. I'm Head Girl! How on earth could this have happened to me! Lily Evans!
Quickly she grabbed a piece of parchment from her desk, dipped her quill hastily in a pot of ink, scribbled a 'yes' and sent the owl off again.
She threw the door open, screaming, "MUM! DAD! I'M HEAD GIRL!"
Skidding to a stop in front of the kitchen door, she wrenched the knob open and instantly ran to her mother, Adelaide Evans, who was currently frying pancakes on the stove.
"Mum! I'm HEAD GIRL!" Adelaide dropped her batter spoon and stared at Lily, her face instantly wreathed in smiles.
"Oh, I'm so proud of you, Lilikins! I knew you had it in you! Oh, my, to think that my daughter is Head Girl of the entirety of Hogwarts!" Adelaide swept Lily into a bone breaking hug.
Lily squirmed and giggled.
"Oh, God, mum I'm so excited!" Adelaide smiled fondly at her daughter. The two were immensely close, for a teenage girl of seventeen years and a mother who loved to cook.
"Well, Lily, I have never been more proud of you in my life." Lily turned and saw her father, Christopher Evans, standing at the doorway with a huge smile on his face. Lily grinned.
"Come here, munchkin!" Disentangling herself from her mother's hug, Lily ran to her father who picked her up and swung her around. Laughing, Lily got down.
"The last time you did that I was, around 3?" she joked. Chris shook his head happily.
"Well, during those fourteen years you didn't get Head Girl, now did you? Does your magic school give you some sort of badge or anything to recognize you?" Lily fished around in her pajama pocket and produced the Head Girl badge.
She held it in her hand and polished it, turning it around and admiring every angle.
Chris peered over her shoulder. "Addie, come here! Look at her badge!" Addie walked over and looked at the Head Girl badge, beaming.
"Wow, Lils. Honestly, I've never been more proud of you in my life."
"Well, well. So now you're the Head Freak of your freak school? Can you get anymore pathetic? I think not." Petunia stood at the doorway, a snarky sneer painted on her rather plain features.
Chris peered at his eldest daughter angrily. "Petty, I will have none of that language in my household. Apologize to your sister. Now." Petunia shook her head furiously.
"No. If I should say anything to her, it would be for her to get out of my life."
Lily felt her eyes sting with tears. She quickly blinked them away and glared at her sister menacingly.
Chris looked ready to explode, beet red with anger. However, before he could say a word, he was beat to the bush by Addie.
"Petunia Camille Evans! I have never been so disgraced with you! You will apologize to your sister now, or you will kindly remove yourself from my kitchen and into your room."
Petunia hesitated, then glared daggers at Lily as she stalked out of the kitchen, scowling.
Addie sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Oh Lily dear, don't cry. Petunia will get over it." She sounded doubtful.
Lily shook her head and wiped her eyes hastily.
"I wasn't crying Mum. It's just that…I wish she would be a sister whom I could cherish my life with. Whom I could share secrets with, whom I could laugh and play with…" She trailed off, embarrassed.
Addie felt her own eyes swell with tears. "Oh—Lily—"
She brought Lily to her and hugged her again. Chris smiled sadly. Here was a connection that he would never have with Lily, no matter how hard he tried.
"Well…breakfast then?" Lily nodded slightly, sighing.
"I'd best get ready then." She trudged slowly up the stairs and into her room, locking the door behind her. Rummaging through her closet, she picked out a pair of jeans and a shirt, then went into the bathroom for a hasty shower. Twenty minutes later she stepped back into the kitchen and seated herself at the breakfast table.
"Mum, where's Petunia?" Lily asked, noting the empty chair where her sister usually sat.
"Still in her room. I confined her there till lunch," Addie replied, twirling her scrambled eggs around her plate with a fork. "I really do hate to punish her. But she needs to grow up. I won't have her nonsense any more. I know she really does love you, Lils. Don't take any of her ramblings seriously." Addie sounded doubtful of her own words. Lily stayed silent, quietly taking a piece of toast and nibbling on it.
Chris uneasily looked around, sensing the tensions. Clearing his throat, he pushed his plate aside, causing a screeching sound. Both Lily and Addie looked up, startled.
"Let's forget all of this and spend the day in Diagon Alley." He glanced at his wife, who nodded enthusiastically and immediately dropped the gloomy look she had on before.
"Yes, let's. We can have lunch there as well, and get Lily's supplies. You do have your list?"
Lily nodded, finishing off her toast.
"Can we leave now?" Without waiting for an answer, she laughed and ran to put her coat on, leaving two smiling parents in her wake.
"No thanks Tom, nothing for today. We're just heading down to Diagon Alley. Oh, by the way, did you know my Lily got Head Girl?" Addie beamed as she ushered Lily forward. Lily groaned.
"Mum!" she whispered fiercely, then smiling as the bartender of the Leaky Cauldron, Tom, peered into her face. He laughed heartily.
"Well, I always knew she'd get it. Smartest witch in her year, that one is." Addie looked as if she would positively die of glee.
"Thanks Tom. We'll be on our way now, see you later." Chris cut in hastily before Addie could say anything. On the subject of Lily, she could talk for hours. Lily nodded quickly and more or less shoved her mother away. Addie's face fell ever so slightly, but she soon replaced it with a smile.
A couple minutes later, they were standing in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley. Lily sighed happily. Being in a Muggle world for so long was tiring. This was where she really belonged.
"Lily dear, you do your school shopping. We'll be at Florean's getting an ice cream, and then we'll head out to wander about this place. Meet you back here in exactly two hours? We can have lunch at the Leaky Cauldron." Lily bobbed her head up and down.
"See you later, Mum, Dad." Weaving her way through the crowds, Lily pulled out her list from her jean pocket and scanned it thoroughly. "First off, Madam Malkin's…"
And so the day passed on. The two hours went by rather quickly, and as Lily finally stepped out of the Magical Menagerie with a new owl, she glanced down at her watch. "What? Shit. I'm late." Only 5 minutes remained till her deadline. Clutching her armful of bags around her, Lily swung the owl's cage around to her free hand, wincing at its loud screeches of protest.
"I'm sorry, girl," she whispered softly, reaching in a hand to gently stroke the owl's dark brown feathers. The owl hooted quietly. "You're a beauty," Lily murmured. "Yes, that's what I'll name you. Beauty." The owl, or Beauty as she was to be known, seemed to nod her head in agreement. Straightening, Lily sighed. "I guess we had better meet Mum and Dad for lunch." Beauty hooted again, this time questioning. Lily laughed.
"Yes, I've got food for you too." Beauty nodded her head in acknowledgement.
"Well, then, shall we go?" Lily paused, looking around. Diagon Alley was a large place, and even though frequenting here for the past 6 years, she still did not know her way around that well. "Erm, I suppose we go this way…no, this way…"
"Need any help, Lily my love?" A male voice, sounding light and cheery, rang into her ear. Lily looked up, her face immediately twisting into a scowl as she turned to face her long time enemy, James Potter.
He was good looking, nay, extremely handsome. His thin, tall frame fit him perfectly and his always messy jet black hair was all too suiting. But perhaps the most alluring quality that possessed him were his eyes. They were a hazel, caramel colour and they seemed as if they could pierce your very soul. His eyes seemed to change with his mood, they seemed cloudy and distant if he was sad, or twinkling if he was happy. It was too much for Lily to handle, staring straight into James Potter's eyes.
"Potter, if you know what's bloody good for you you'll leave me in peace before I hex you into pieces." James did not seem affected in the least.
"Now, now, my fated flower, you mustn't lose your temper and shout like that. It isn't very becoming, you see, and people might think of wrong of us." He grinned, offering a hand to help her up. Lily shook it up and got up herself, her eyes narrowed.
"You mean you. Just because you're a pureblood, and rich at that, doesn't mean you have to be so arrogant and snotty." James gave a mock bow and smiled again.
"Yes, it's true that I'm perfect in every aspect, and I may be stuck-up, but I have a reputation, and I don't wish to ruin it."
"You mean your reputation as a womanizer."
"Precisely."
"I just don't understand what they see in you." Lily rolled her eyes as a pair of young witches walked past, staring at James and giggling.
"You may be the smartest witch in our year, love, but you certainly have no knowledge of these matters."
"Do not call me your 'love,' Potter. And where are your little cronies, if I might be so rude as to ask?"
"Inside Quidditch Quality Supplies, where I'm heading next. Care to come with me, sweet?" Lily clenched her teeth and withheld her urge to curse Potter, right then and there.
"No. And if you don't mind, I'll be on my way now." James blew a kiss to her.
"You know you love me. Au revoir!" Lily shook her head and ignored him, ignoring his shouts of, "See you on the train!"
He always got to her. She was never sure if he was serious or not when he asked her out, and she didn't care. That bloody Potter was so arrogant and stubborn, and made it a point to bring up his status in a conversation, always. Just because he was rich did not mean anything. And he was a bloody player, for Pete's sake. It was despicable, Lily thought, as she trudged towards her parents' meeting spot which she had now spotted the way he used those girls like arm candy. Why couldn't he just leave her alone? He always seemed to save the special taunts for her, he always seemed to give her the most attention, and Lily didn't like it one bit.
"Lily! There you are! We've been so worried!" Addie's voice cut Lily's train of thought. Shaking her head in attempt to clear her head, Lily smiled up at her mother.
"Where's Dad?"
"Right here," Chris quipped as he popped up behind Addie. "Lunch? I'm fair starving."
Lily sighed and nodded. "Yes, I'm hungry as well. We should spend as much time together as possible before term starts in a week."
Before finally heading inside the Cauldron, Lily was sure she spotted James again, waving to her and blowing a kiss.
End of Chapter One! Thank you MUCH To Lady Smoothie Aerin for beta-ing this chapter! Chapter Two is in the making
Review please!
Shayna