Driven by Challenges

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 1

Lily Evans was driven by challenges and the need to be surrounded by nature. She found herself struggling to appease one of her needs. Sitting next to the lake, enjoying the late afternoon sunshine, after spending the day cooped up in stuffy classrooms. When someone flopped down next to her. Only to allow a grown to leave her lips.

"Out of all the people of the castle. You're the second person I wished to avoid," she grumbled harshly.

"Now Evans," the teenage boy gave a sparkling smile. "Unlike my best mate, I'm not here to proclaim my undying love or anything…"

Lily shook her red hair. "No, you wouldn't." Her green eyes glanced over the lake. "What do you want then? And it better not be about helping with your homework." Her voice had become harsh.

"No, I don't need your help with that." He let out a huff. "Believe it or not, I'm done with the whole playboy act. That the girls of Hogwarts seemed to have roped me into."

Lily turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "Am I hearing things?" She gasped. "Aren't you the one kissing a different girl, almost every other week?"

"Yes," he huffed darkly.

"Are you okay, Black?" Lily gave him a worried look. "If you're done with all that playboy act, why don't you find someone to… I don't know, stay with?"

Sirius Black gave her a hard look. "I would if there was one that would know me for me. Not because I'm from a long line of nobility and money." His gray eyes turn towards the lake. "I wouldn't know where to find her, if she existed."

Lily felt sorry for Sirius, she really did. But she was fighting with herself about helping him. Since her stocker was his best friend, James Potter. The one who proclaimed his undying love for her, ever since their third year, or even sooner. But he was the one who made her lose her best friend.

"If I help you," her lips moved on their own. "Could you get Potter to back off...for a month?"

Sirius groaned, "That's a tall order. The best I can do is three hours at best."

With a thoughtful look. Lily glanced towards the castle. Only to see James Potter exiting the doors, looking around in a franic. "If you can manage three hours a day. I think I know a way to help you, but I need to run to the library to do it."

Sirius had seen her worry, before looking to where her eyes had gone. He groaned in annoyance. "Yeah, but you might not like how I get him occupied."

"No, I don't imagine I will. But as long I'm not on the receiving end of it, or hear about it. I'll hold my anger in…"

Sirius jumped to his feet. "I'll remind you of our deal, if need be, then." Before he ran off towards James Potter, where she heard, "I'm daring you a week full of pranks, James. And I dare, you won't be able to do it!"

"You're so on," proclaimed James Potter.

Lily closed her eyes. "Please forgive me," she whispered to the air. "For allowing evil, such as Potter, loose onto the school…" With a great sigh, she slipped her way back into the school. Hoping that no one would pester her for a while.

She managed to get to the library. 'Since Black is done with the whole dating scene. What would he want then?' Something seemed to have guided Lily to the dark corners of the library. Where a book seemed to have jumped out of the shelf. Hitting her on her shoulder.

Lily looked down to a small red leather book. She picked it up and read Magicks for the Lost. She opened the book and started to read. The more she read the more she believed that she was given the ability to help Sirius Black.

'There many types or soulmates. Those that are destined to be in your life, as a friend or sibling…'

Lily thought of Sirius Black with James Potter. Where they are very close friends, who act like joined siblings. To the point where they looked like they shared one mind.

'A connection between a child and parent. No matter the lifetime. They will meet with this kind of mindset, even of the same age.'

Lily smiled as she pictured Remus Lupin always following behind the two. Like a parent would, trying to be a voice of reason. When it came to the group. When her eyes went to the next part of the text, causing her to nearly drop the book.

'A true soulmate is someone who was always destined to be with. Sometimes they are separated by time, but they were made for each other. Most cases the male of the pair would know much sooner than the female. Because neither of them will have happy fulfilling lives without the other, as their life mate.'

Lily Evans for the first time in her life, wanted to burn the book. But only managed to take a deep breath. She skipped over several pages until she went towards the back of the book. Where a list of spells to test the types of soulmates. Before getting to the potion for bringing your soulmate to you.

As she read the footnotes for the potion. Finding out that it would take three days to make. But must be used on the moonrise of summer's end. Which she knew to be on September the 21st.

Lily closed her eyes in annoyance, knowing that she needed to start making the potion that night. If she wanted to get the potions finished on time. With a growl, she left the library with the book. Before rushing off to the dungeons, where she had a teacher to convince to use a potions lab to use.

When Lily walked into the classroom, she wasn't surprised to see Serverus Snape there. Working on improving on another one of their school potions. Or was he there to help with stocking up the Hospital Wing's listed potions. She wasn't sure, but didn't care all the same.

"Ah, Miss Evans," smiled Professor Slug after noticing her. "What can I help you with, today?"

"I was wondering if I can brew a potion after dinner?" Giving him her cheerful smile, knowing her sparkling green eyes will get him.

"Well of course Miss Evans," her professor smiled back at her. "I'll see you then."

Lily turned on her heel and left. Making her way out of the dungeons. Once she made it to the entrance hall. She found Sirius Black standing against the wall with his arms crossed.

With a huff, she glared at him. "If you're here, where is Potter?"

He smirked at her. "On a wild goose chase. He'll be occupied for a while." His head turned to one side. "How is everything on your end?"

Lily glared at him. "I have to make a potion for you. It'll take three days to make." Crossing her own arms. "But we'll need it to work on the moonrise of September 21st."

"On Tuesday? Luckily this is Friday then," stated Sirius with a thoughtful look. "What are you going to need?"

Lily still had the book on her. Turn the page to the recipe. "I'm going to need you to gather some of these things." She handed him the book.

He glanced over it. With a groan he replied, "Alright, I'll work on this then." He waved a wand at the page, where he was given a copy from a spare parchment that he had on him. Before returning the book back to her. "I'll get it to you by dinner…"

The two went on their own ways. Since Lily will be busy during her nights. She was going to get her homework done before dinner.

At dinner, Sirius Black had slipped the potion ingredients into her bag. While he worked on getting James Potter to focus on the prank that Sirius had dared him to do. Which Lily found hard to be believe, since Potter was known to get board easily. But found him waving his wand over the floating candles, only to see them spout lips and started singing a French love song.

Lily bit her lips, preventing herself from giggling before hearing her head of house. "My word! Is nothing sacred around here?!" Causing many to laugh within the Great Hall.

"I don't know Minerva, but it does give one ideas for upcoming holidays." The headmaster grin towards the Mauradures, with his sparkling eyes.

"Albus," Professor McGonagall hissed at him.

"Don't incurage this behavior. Hogwarts is a place for learning…!"

He smiled kindly. "Yes, but learning should also be fun. Otherwise, it wouldn't be worth knowing."

Whatever her head of house was about to say, she didn't know. When her roommate Alice got her attention. Smiling like nothing could ever go wrong. "Hey Lily, are you still up to going to Hogsmead with us girls tomorrow?"

Lily smiled, "Yeah, but I need to head to the castle by five. I'm working on a potion…"

Alice shook her head. "Yeah, yeah." She waved at her. "If it isn't charms, it's potions." Smiling wholeheartedly. "What are you working on this time?"

"Hoping on something that'll stop Black from helping Potter," Lily growled out. Knowing that it wasn't far from the truth.

Alice giggled before eyeing another roommate of theirs, Marlene Medows. "Mars would have loved being that something. But we all know that's hopeless. When her heart isn't really in it."

"No," agreed Lily. "All they ever did was kiss and trying to ignore each other." She shook her head. "I really don't understand the magical world and love."

"Yeah it's hard when you're related to someone in some form. Then there is the heir/heiress contract to uphold."

"The contract," asked Lily with a hint of fear. "Whats that?"

"At eleven, as soon as we get our wands. We each are bound by our magic, where get can't do the deed until marriage. Prevents having children out of wedlock… Causing the teenage population to become stir crazy, for the lack of a better word."

Lily gasped, "So everyone…?"

"As pure as they were born?" Alice nodded, "Yep, at least the prebloods. I don't know about halfbloods, it depends on their parents. But nothing is preventing the muggle-borns."

"Alice," gasped Lily. "I would never!"

Alice giggled, "Sorry Lily, just stating the facts."

"So," whispered Lily. Learning in towards Alice. "So, Potter and Black…?"

"Yep," Alice popped the 'p'. "But knowing Black's employets. I think he's using charms to help with the experience, when he can't do anything about it."

Lily shook her head. "Okay that is a lot to take in…"

Alice shrugged her shoulders. "Being halfblood, my father wanted me to know these things."

"Are you under the contact?"

"No, but I don't see myself doing anything until marriage anyway." Her lips moved to a smirk. "I only have eyes for Frank."

Lily noticed the time. "Well, I'll see you later…" Grabbing her bag and left. She had an overload of information that she learned that day.

Once in the classroom, Lily set up her workstation. Opening the page and grabbed a copper cauldron that it asked for. Before poring in rose water and litting it.

Lily was happy to noticed that Sirius Black didn't just get her the ingredients. But also did the cutting or grinding them to powder form for her. Even went as far as giving the right measurements. Once the rose water was brought to a boil. She gave a quick stir before adding more to it.

By the time the last step for the day was issued, which was placing a couple of strans of Sirius' hair. She gave a few stirs before turning it to simmer. Lily was done.

When she found herself back in the common room. Only to hear Potter rattling off ideas. "We could make to suit of armors to dance."

"Did that in third year," stated Peter Pettigrew.

"What about charming the Slytherins to tap dance?"

"Fifth year," replied Remus Lupin.

"Admitting defeat," taunted Sirius Black, when he saw he walk in. Raised an eyebrow.

Lily gave a small nod. Before sneaking up into her dorm room. She felt relieved when she saw that she was the only person in the room. 'Just glad that Potter didn't see me.'

She hoped that what she was doing. Was worth her sneaking around. At least that was what had felt like.