Stag and Flower

Chapter 2: On the Train

Sunday morning, Lily left her home with her parents. On the way to King's Cross, Lily thought about the conversation she'd just had with her sister, Petunia.

"Well, Petunia, I don't suppose I'll be seeing much of you after this. What with you getting married and my graduating next summer. I can't believe I'm going to miss the wedding. It's horrible that the only date the hotel had available was in the middle of exams week at Hogwarts. I do hope you'll send me pictures," Lily had said honestly.

"Of course. I'll miss you terribly," Petunia had said, though Lily knew her sister's words were meaningless.

"I guess this is goodbye then." Lily stepped forward and hugged her sister, who reluctantly patted her back. With one last look at Petunia, Lily walked out the front door to meet her parents in the car.

Lily knew that Petunia had chosen the Wednesday of exams week for her wedding so Lily would not come to the ceremony. Actually, Lily knew for a fact that the hotel was completely open from April through July of the next year. And besides, who gets married on a Wednesday? Petunia simply did not want her sister at her wedding. Lily didn't particularly want to go, she thought, but in the back of her mind she knew she wanted Petunia to accept her as a witch and a sister. But she also knew this would never happen.

When Lily arrived at King's Cross station, she walked with her parents to platforms nine and ten. She was there almost an hour early, as usual, so she could get a good seat on the Hogwarts Express. When the three Evans got to the wall, Lily turned to her parents.

"Okay so I'll be staying at Hogwarts for Christmas. Head Girl duties and all," Lily said.

"We are so proud of you for making Head Girl. Besides, we're spending Christmas with the future-in-laws. You're better off at Hogwarts," Mr. Evans said with a wink.

"I can't believe Petunia's marrying the Dursley boy," her mother said to no one in particular. "The man has six chins, honestly. He looks as if he's bound to pop like a big red balloon." Mrs. Evans silently continued on her rant of Vernon Dursley, her future-son-in-law, as Lily and her father talked.

"We really are proud of you though. Achieving so greatly in a world you've only lived in for seven short years," Mr. Evans told his daughter proudly.

"It's the right world for me. I belong there more than I ever did in the muggle world," Lily told her father.

"It seems like just yesterday you'd gotten your letter!" Mrs. Evans wailed, tearing up.

"Oh, now, Mum, you knew I would grow up sooner or later."

"I just hoped it would be later rather than sooner," her mother finished wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Oh and one more thing," Lily's dad began, "do give that Potter boy a chance. He seems like quite the gentleman."

"People aren't always what they seem, Daddy. The James Potter I know is an immature, arrogant prat," Lily snapped.

"Well, it is up to you."

"Thank you."

"Well, you should be going now. I love you so much," Lily's mother said as she pulled her daughter into a tight hug. Lily stood there soaking in her mother's scent so she would remember it. Mrs. Evans smelled of flowers, like springtime. Lily turned to her father as he said, "Have a nice time and we will see you next summer at graduation. Good luck and remember what I told you about James. I love you." Lily hugged him. He smelled of cigar smoke and typewriter ink.

"I love you, too. See you next summer." She took the trolley that held her trunk and owl cage, and with one final look at her parents, pushed it through the barrier. She immediately saw the crimson Hogwarts Express and smiled as she thought, "I'm home."

"I love being seventeen!" Sirius bellowed as he dodged a curse shot from James' wand. Remus was sitting on a bench, reading, and Peter was sitting beside him, his eyes glued on the duel.

"Isn't it just…" but James stopped as he noticed a certain red headed beauty pass through the barrier. "Amazing," he finished dreamily, obviously no longer speaking of their newfound freedom.

"What's up, Prongs?" Sirius asked, as he turned to see what his friend was staring at. "Oh. Wow, James, you were right. Evans did," he cleared his throat, "grow up." Lily was wearing a denim mini skirt and black boots. "Beatles" was written across her black shirt. Although Lily loved being a witch, she preferred muggle rock music to wizard music.

"Do not stare at her like that! How would you like it if I went and snogged your new girlfriend?" James asked.

"I wouldn't care as long as I got Evans." James shot the Tickling Charm, hitting Sirius in the back. Sirius fell to the ground and screamed with laughter, as James walked over to Lily. She was sitting on a bench, reading. As James got closer, he noticed a silver badge that was pinned to her shirt. It read, "Head Girl: Lily Samantha Evans."

"Hi, Evans," he said, flirtatiously.

"Potter," Lily greeted, her eyes still in the book.

"You look great."

"Thank you."

"You look really great," James repeated, goggling at Lily."We've established that," Lily said as she put her book in her satchel bag.

"Sorry. How's your week been?"

"My sister booked her wedding for the Wednesday of exams week so I wouldn't come," Lily replied, finally looking at James. She stood up and began walking over to the train.

"Wow, she's really horrible, isn't she?" James said following her toward an open door.

"Only to me. She thinks I'm a freak," Lily said dryly as she stepped onto the train.

"Well anyone who could possibly believe that you are a freak is horrible in my book."

"How sweet," Lily said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She began pulling her trunk onto the train and looked as if she were having a lot of trouble with it. James reached out to help her. "Back off, Potter. I can get it myself," Lily spat. James held his hands in the air in surrender and turned back to his duel.

An hour and half later, Lily and the prefects were waiting for the Head Boy in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express.

"Are you sure you aren't Head Boy?" a fifth year prefect asked Remus. Before Remus could answer, Lily snapped at the small girl.

"I'm sure he would know if he was Head Boy! Now stop asking questions and shut up!" She was getting impatient and was about to owl Professor Dumbledore when James walked in. "Potter, what do you want?"

"I'm here for the meeting," he replied.

"You're not a prefect."

"I know. I'm Head Boy."

"Very funny. Now get out." Lily was really starting to get impatient.

"No seriously," he said pointing to the little silver badge that was pinned to his blue Polo shirt. It read, "Head Boy: James Eric Potter." Lily could not believe it.

"Shit!" she yelled. Lily quickly turned to the smirking prefects. "Excuse my language." She pulled James out into the corridor as he laughed. "It isn't funny. You should have told me in Diagon Alley. Now all of the prefects are going to start swearing like it's okay."

"They do it anyway and it was funny," James said smiling.

"Shut up," she said dragging him into the compartment.

Half an hour later, Lily and James dismissed the prefects. After doing their rounds on the train, they came back to the Head's compartment. Lily read her book and James pretended to sleep; he was really staring at Lily. The only time they spoke was when Lily asked him to leave so she could change into her school robes. The train finally pulled up to the station in Hogsmeade. James stepped out into the corridor.

"See you around, Evans," James said smoothly.

"I suppose it is inevitable," Lily retorted. She gave a frustrated sigh and rolled her eyes. She got her trunk and got off the train. As soon as she got out of the train station, Lily heard two high-pitched squeals. She lifted her head and sounded a shriek of her own. Rushing towards her, were her two best friends and fellow seventh year Gryffindors, Meredith Hart and Katherine de Prix. Meredith had long brunette hair and high cheekbones that made her look beautiful. She was fun and dangerous and would never turn down a dare. Katherine on the other hand was quiet and very intelligent. She had short blonde hair, wore glasses and was very pretty. Lily was sure she would have been Head Girl if Lily hadn't been. She dropped her things and pushed through the other students to get to them. She pulled them both into a group hug.

"Where were you?" Meredith asked as she pulled away.

"We were so worried that you weren't coming back to Hogwarts," Katherine said.

"Why wouldn't I come back to Hogwarts? I was made Head Girl," Lily told them as if it were so obvious.

"Really? Lily, congratulations!" Katherine said.

"Thank you, but it isn't as amazing as you might think. Guess who the Head Boy is," Lily said with a look of disgust on her face.

"It's Snape, isn't it?" Katherine asked.

"Worse," Lily hinted.

"Who could be worse than Snape?" Meredith asked.

"Potter," Lily said in a deathly low tone.

"Oh bloody hell! Lily, James isn't-" Meredith stopped as Katherine jabbed her in the side with her elbow. "I mean, Potter? Yeah, that is worse," Meredith finished in a slightly sarcastic tone.

"I know. I don't think I'll make it," Lily said not hearing Meredith's mistake or sarcasm. The three girls climbed in to a thestral pulled carriage.

James stepped off the train and immediately saw Sirius, Remus, and Peter waiting for him by a carriage. He walked over to them and the four Marauders crawled into the carriage. As they set off down the bumpy road toward Hogwarts, James told them of the prefect meeting.

"I could not believe she swore. It didn't sound like her. Or maybe it just takes a lot to make her swear and your becoming Head Boy pushed her over the edge," Remus said wisely.

"That's a comforting thought. Who knew she would be so angry?" James asked seriously concerned.

"Who didn't know? She hates you James," Sirius said almost laughingly.

"She does not," he protested.

"Sorry, James but she does," Remus said

"Yeah, Prongs, she hates the very air you breathe," Sirius added.

"Sorry, but they're right," Peter finished.

"Oh," was all James could say. He knew Lily didn't like him but hate was a very strong word. He hoped that wasn't the way she felt.

"Anything but hate," James thought to himself. The rest of the ride was spent planning the Marauder's start of term prank. When they finally pulled up to the front steps of the huge castle, the Marauders climbed out and headed inside for the start of term feast.