Rescheduling the Game, as it turned out, wasn't an easy postponement the rest of the group had planned. Lily almost wanted to throw it back in their faces, but chose to take the high road.

It also bloody sucked and she was still mad.

The rumors regarding her revolt against the Defense professor had died down in the past week as well, but she did find herself on the receiving end of more stops from her schoolmates who happened to be Muggleborn, asking for study sessions, chats, or just general encouragement – and on the other spectrum, received dirtier looks from some of the colder Slytherins and Ravenclaws she'd unknowingly made enemies of.

She'd managed to avoid the worst of them, with luck.

In between an uptick in class essays, detentions among the boys ('Tardy? Really, Sirius?' Marlene had complained) and an unforeseen loo explosion that decommissioned two floors ('Honestly, wasn't us. Had to have been Peeves.'), Lily's trip home was fast approaching, the following Friday arriving much more quickly than she would have expected.

Which brought us to present Lily; snoozing in her dormitory Friday late afternoon, having fought against a day filled with extra Charms work study, Transfiguration class, and Arithmancy homework piled up to her chin.

"Lily!" someone shouted into her ear.

"What?" she cried, her heart jumping to her throat as she sat up, disorientated.

"It's a quarter to eight," Marlene told the redhead.

"It can't be," Lily stuttered, rubbing at her eyes to focus on the time on the clock. "I just closed my eyes!"

"I'm afraid it's true," Emmeline added.

"The curse of naps," Marlene drawled, an overly wise tone to her voice.

Lily released a sound of distress. "You couldn't have woken me up earlier? I'm going to be late meeting McGonagall!"

"We were at dinner," Marlene said, jumping onto her now unoccupied bed.

She ignored her, annoyed at the sorry excuse, throwing open her trunk and locating her old, trusty burlap knapsack. Throwing caution to the wind, she started tossing clean pants into it, a pair of nice jeans, and a few dressy shirts. Tightening it shut, she threw the bag onto her bed, paying no mind to the girl laying there.

"Oi!" Marlene cried out. "Watch it."

She smiled in satisfaction, turning to riffle through her trunk again, finding a pair of black tights, her favorite navy flowered sundress, and a long sleeved denim jacket. Dressing quickly, she ran her fingers through her hair to try to rid it of tangles.

"Where's Alice?" she asked, only half satisfied with her hair but called it a loss cause.

"Still with Frank, I believe," Emmeline said from her bed.

"I was hoping to say goodbye before I left," Lily murmured, shrugging on the denim jacket and pulling her hair from beneath the collar.

Dorcas huffed. "You'll only be gone for two days."

"You'll be back before you know it," Marlene inserted.

"I know, I know," she sighed, checking for her other things. She jumped when three, very sharp knocks hit the dormitory door.

"Miss Evans?" McGonagall's voice called through the wooden door.

"Coming, Professor!" Lily called back. She fluttered back over to her trunk, going through a mental list of things that she would need.

"Pants?" Marlene asked, quickly recognizing what her friend was doing.

"Check," Lily said.

"Shirts?"

"Check."

"Wand?"

"Check."

"Night clothes?"

"Check."

"Homework to work on?"

"Check."

Marlene chuckled. "Lily, I think you're good to go."

She nodded, patting her wand that she securely tucked inside the knapsack. She'd have to keep it hidden, otherwise Petunia…

"Miss Evans?" McGonagall called again impatiently. "I advised the conductor we'd be at the station strictly at 8."

Lily winced, sliding into her shoes and rushed to open the door. McGonagall stood before her in the doorway, a reprimanding look on her face.

"I'm so sorry, Professor," she apologized sincerely, a bit out of breath.

A single brow rose on McGonagall's face, but she didn't purse her lips. "Let's head down, then, Ms. Evans."

"After you," Lily insisted, waving wildly to her friends once the older woman had turned her back. She blew them quick kisses, before shutting the door tightly behind her.

"Please, congratulate your sister on my behalf," McGonagall was saying as Lily rushed to catch up.

"Of course," Lily replied, knowing full well that she would do no such thing.

Would Petunia really appreciate receiving congratulations from her sister's professor who was a witch? Lily felt it safe to assume that no, her sister would not appreciate it.

In the Common Room, the redhead and the Head of Gryffindor House received many curious looks. She caught Alice and Frank hiding in a secluded corner, locked in what appeared to be a rather... intense embrace. Lily prayed for Alice's sake that the Professor would not catch sight of the couple.

In front of the fire, the Marauders' head bent over the table in front of them; James and Remus shared the couch, while Sirius sat in a loveseat that was pulled up right next to the table. Peter sat on the floor beside them, his chin resting in his hand. Upon closer expectation, she caught sight of a large piece of parchment; one that she swore that she had seen before.

As if sensing the professor's presence, Sirius turned, catching Lily's eye. "Professor!" he called in surprise. "To what do we owe this pleasant visit?"

Over his shoulder, James quickly worked to fold up the parchment to hide it from view.

The woman's steps did not falter as she shot them a look over her glasses. "Escorting Ms. Evans, Black. I expect you in the trophy room at half past nine on the dot for your detention."

"Wouldn't miss it," Sirius assured with a grin. He waved goodbye to Lily, which she hastily returned.

Behind him, James, Peter, and Remus waved as well.

Lily turned her head around to the Professor's, not wanting to embarrass herself by running into the woman's back as they approached the common room entrance.

She wouldn't escort her all the way, Lily soon found out. McGonagall only accompanied her to the Entrance Hall where they came upon Hagrid, who was shuffling awkwardly on his feet.

"'lo, Lily," he greeted shyly.

"Hagrid," she beamed. "How are you?"

"'M doing jus' fine," he replied, a smile blooming on his face. "'M here to take ya down to the station."

"Wonderful," she said excitedly, placing her hand inside of his offered elbow.

"Please, no side-tracks this time, Rubeus," McGonagall chided.

"'Course, ma'm," he responded, signaling a small salute with his free hand.

McGonagall looked up at him warily, but made no comment, spinning on her heels to head back towards the staircases.

"Too strict," Hagrid gruffed with a wry smile. "Who don' appreciate a brisk walk in the forest at nigh'?

"Not many," Lily agreed, allowing him to pull her along, despite their height difference.

"I'dve brought around the thestrals, but they've been in a righ' state."

"That's alright," she assured and it was – seeing the black creatures still made her shiver. "Fresh air and a walk do wonders."

She would stumble occasionally on the uneven ground as they trekked down the path towards the gate – but the grip she had on his arm helped. "I see you're growing out your beard," she pointed out approvingly.

For a moment, in the light of the dying sun, she thought she noticed Hagrid's cheeks lightly turn pink.

"'S nothing," he said proudly, using his other hand to scratch at the said beard. "Think it works?"

"Looks dashing," she promised, smiling sincerely.

"Thanks, Lily," said Hagrid, smiling bashfully. "Hones'ly, doing it for the new batch of Glumbumbles. Heard keepin' 'em close can help their growth. Chances of living."

"In your beard?"

He shrugged, a bit embarrassed. "Las' batch didn't work out. Thought I'd try something different."

"I get it," she assured, knowing Hagrid's affinity for the odd creature. "You'll have to let me know if I can help."

"Grow a beard, Lily?"

She laughed. "No, definitely not. I just meant – I can help with potions to help grow your beard."

He seemed to mull this over, using his free hand to run over the short beard. "I migh' take you up on that offer."

"Just let me know," she said. "I can whip one up very quick!"

"How's tha' work?"

The rest of their journey towards Hogsmeade was spent talking about the potion itself – which oddly, Lily pointed out with humor – required the hair of a dragon.

Aghast, Hagrid seemed less interested ('Pluck it straight from their head? That seems righ' wrong." he murmured, but Lily assured him that the hair was only cut, unbeknownst to the dragon itself. That seemed to ease his concern).

He clapped his hands together as they ascended the outside steps onto the Hogsmeade's station platform. "'S right on time," he grinned.

Lily shivered, never having seen the station itself deserted and dark, the sun having completely set only moments before they arrived. They both jumped when the train's whistle sounded, alerting its passengers of departure.

"Better get you on there," Hagrid urged, a nervous smile on his face.

"Thank you again, Hagrid," she said. "I'll see you when I get back?"

"I'll be her' waitin'," Hagrid promised, offering his hand to assist her up the stairs onto the train.

"Take care of those Glumbumbles until I get back!" she called out of the window when she'd entered the nearest compartment. She stumbled slightly as the train began to depart, stuttering forward on the tracks as if it had been waiting for her.

"Will do!" he shouted, waving his large hand until she could no longer see his tall form as the train pulled from the station and rounded the corner.

With an unsettled feeling, she set her knapsack on the bench seat and collapsed beside it, glancing about the empty compartment. Her eyes turned back towards the window as she watched as the terrain flicked by, soon lulling her into a trance. Her lids slid shut and she felt herself settle into the cushions more deeply.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

The high pitched train whistle tore through the air, jerking Lily awake.

Startled by the loud screaming noise, she leaned forward and wiped at her eyes tiredly, twisting her neck to appease the painful crick in her neck. When she straightened, the sky outside was dyed a dark lilac, the horizon stained an orange-pink from the rising sun.

She had no idea of the time, but she could guess it was very early.

Her stomach growled loudly. Would they even have hired the trolley lady for a one-student trip? She doubted it.

It wasn't long before the landscape beyond the window began to turn more industrial, more houses and buildings passing by. Street lights were flickering off, just as the sun began to rise more overhead.

When she moved to stand and stretch, the train's signature whistle sounded again – the warning that the station was fast approaching. Lily exhaled loudly, bracing herself for what was to come during the next few days.

Grabbing her burlap sack, she tossed it over her shoulder and slid open the compartment door, pausing in habit to check for other passengers or students. She shivered when she realized she was alone, so unlike all the other times she'd been on the train.

Unlike her previous train rides and a very welcome change, her exit off of the train was very smooth, avoiding the usual jostling and shoving of a crowd.

She jumped over the steps of the train onto the platform, grinning to herself as no one else was around to push or knock her out of the way. It was easy to ignore the eerie silence of the rest of the platform, though, having the chance to turn and admire the sight of the Hogwarts Express all on its own.

She wondered briefly if it would remain parked where it was – until she had to return.

Walking through the trick entrance onto the Muggle entrance felt like a new experience though; so early in the morning, there were so few others at the station. She could see the nearest Station Agent double-take at her sudden appearance; having no other trains pulled into the stations yet this early.

Lily picked up her pace as best as she could without being suspicious.

As she exited the platform, it was exceedingly simple to spot her mother's forest green Viva. As soon as the older woman inside the mobile spotted Lily, she jumped out of the car with surprising speed, rushing to greet her youngest as she skipped and danced around random pedestrians, trying to avoid any unnecessary collisions.

"Lily-love," her mother greeted happily, opening her arms and allowing her to fall into them easily.

She wrapped her arms around her mother's petite waist, tightening briefly before loosening, letting her go completely to readjust the bag on her shoulder.

"Mum," she reprimanded. "It's only been like, two month months, if that."

Rose Evans looked down at her youngest daughter, brushing the wild strands of hair away from her face. "Seems much longer," she breathed. "What am I going to do with you?"

"I'm already a lost cause," Lily replied dramatically, out of habit, the two sharing a smile that looked identical.

"Well, 'least I can get you home," Rose declared, drawing up to her full height. "Get in the car before you get lost."

Lily did as told, sliding into the passenger seat as her mum walked around to enter behind the wheel. "Scared I'll run off?"

"Back to Hogwarts, yes," Rose teased, as she turned the key and the car's engine spurred to life. "I don't think you'd come home if you had the choice."

"Mum," she complained, reaching to buckle herself in. "They do the washing for me there. Of course I want to stay forever."

Rose gasped in outrage. "I make you do one chore –"

"One?"

"– One chore and you lose your mind. They don't make a magic detergent to get red out of white, you know."

"Actually," she began, but was halted as her mum held up her hand.

"'Actually, there's a spell for that', she says," Rose said in a teasing tone, maneuvering the car out of the car park. "Not seventeen yet though, are you, love?"

Lily laughed. "Only a few more months!"

"I've got a pile of wrecked clothes in my closet, just for you to fix up."

"I look forward to it," she retorted with a smirk, crossing her arms. "How's Pet been?"

"Stressed. Busy. Completely barmy. What isn't she?" Rose wondered aloud, checking over her shoulder as she merged onto a larger street.

"Bright?" she suggested, laughing as she dodged a swot.

"Be nice," Rose admonished, giving a stern look. "She's been under a lot of pressure to get this done."

"I will be nice," she promised, tightening her arms across her chest as she watched the city streets pass by outside the window. If she is, too.

She counted the muggles walking on the sidewalk, wondering how many were wizards, living their normal lives among the muggles who lived their own. When the buildings began to thin and the amount of pedestrians began to diminish, Lily turned her attention back inside the car. Leaning her head against the shoulder of the car seat, she studied her mother concentrating on the road in front of them.

Rose Evans was an older beautiful woman, with high cheekbones and a slightly heart-shaped face. Her hair, once as vibrant as Lily's own, had darkened over the years, with light silver strands mixed in. More white pieces had defiantly grown around the woman's temple, the only seemingly obvious trait giving away the woman's true age.

On this day, her mother's shoulder length hair was pulled back by a single clip, pieces falling into her cool, blue eyes, which held their own kind of warmth.

"What are you looking at, young lady?"

Lily smiled, her tongue caught between her teeth. "Just counting how many more wrinkles you have now."

"I'll turn this car around right now," her mother countered.

"But you've always told me honesty is important," said Lily, blinking innocently.

Rose sniffed. "Not to an aging woman."

"Oh, stop, you're beautiful," she said with a laugh, swotting at her mum's arm.

"You're supposed to say that," Rose mimicked in a whiny tone, leaning back as she pulled the car to a stop at a red light. She turned to Lily and smiled softly, brushing a stray piece of hair out of her face. "When did you get so beautiful yourself?"

"You're positively barmy," she refuted, looking away to hide her blush. "Now, tell me when's this dressing appointment?"

Her mother sighed. "Ten. But I'm taking you home first; you must be starving."

Lily hummed in agreement, "I am peckish."

"We'll have hotcakes and porridge as soon as we get home."

Her stomach growled in appreciation. "Shouldn't I be worried about fitting into this dress?"

Rose scoffed. "What're you, a size four? You'll fit into the dress fine."

She harrumphed, settling more comfortably in the seat, watching as the streets became less saturated with housing, the signs more familiar. Soon, they turned into their neighborhood, her eyes tracing the familiar houses as they passed them.

"Whose cars are those?" Lily asked curiously as they finally turned onto her house's street.

"The car in the driveway is Vernon's. He's been staying here for the past few nights," Rose informed her, something Lily could tell bothered her mother.

"He's what?"

"I know, I know... But he lets her use his car, which helps me out a lot. And they're getting married, so who am I to stop it," Rose reasoned with a helpless wave of her hand.

"Whose are those in the street?"

"Tara, Felicia, and Molly's."

Lily turned to her mother in horror. "You don't mean Tara Abbott, Felicia Langdon, and Molly Parnell, do you?"

"They're your sister's bridesmaids," Rose said diplomatically.

"Mum," she couldn't help but whine. "Please tell me they're not coming with us to the shop."

"I'm afraid I can't," Rose replied apologetically, turning off the engine and pulling the key from the ignition.

"Oh, God," she breathed, rubbing the heels of her hands into her tired eyes as she mentally braced herself for what was to come.

Molly, Tara, and Felicia had been like vultures – swooping in soon after Lily and Pet's relationship had become strained. The three girls had taken it upon themselves to constantly point out Lily's flaws – which was often, as they were over every damned day – and for an impressionable young girl, it was hard not to take their unkind words seriously. She cringed now, recalling the painful memories.

Lily jumped when there was a tap on her window. She peered through her hair to find her mother looking down at her expectantly.

"Coming, coming," she murmured, grabbing her bag from the floor and swinging open the car door.

With a shuttered expression, she looked up at her home. The house was worn; the bricks no longer the color that she could remember from her younger childhood years, having faded from the sun. The metal fence that surrounded the yard was laced with rust and had seen better days.

It creaked as her mother swung it open, waiting for Lily to join her.

For a brief moment, she mulled over the idea of running off to the playground just beyond the hill at the end of the drive in a means to escape the dreadful experience she was sure to have.

Her mother cleared her throat.

Snapped back to attention, Lily skipped to catch up, waiting patiently as her mother retrieved the house keys from her purse.

"Set the kettle, will you?" Rose asked, setting her keys into the bowl just inside the door. "I'll start the porridge."

"Sure," she said, dropping her rucksack onto the couch before following her mother into the kitchen. "Black, or that new stuff you like?"

"Black," Rose confirmed, pulling out a pot from the cupboard.

"On it," she murmured, grabbing the tea tin from atop of the dining room hutch. She popped the top open. "How much should I make?"

"Maybe enough for all of us – six?"

Lily hummed, somewhat dismayed as she plucked the appropriate amount of teabags from the tin. "Seems a waste."

"Regardless, it's polite to make tea. And yours always seems to taste better whenever you make it."

Lily made a pleased noise, chuffed by the compliment. "Magic," she teased in explanation, mischievously grinning and waving her fingers in the air.

A loud gasp sounded from the kitchen doorway.

Teabags flew from the tin can in her hands as Lily spun around, the force of her turn flinging them in multiple directions. She caught sight of Petunia in the doorway, clutching at her heart as if it had stopped beating.

Her sister's three friends stood just behind her, confused by Petunia's reaction.

"Pet," she sputtered, clutching the can tight to her chest.

Petunia remained frozen, the look of horror on her face obvious.

"I – was only just kidding," she was quick to defend, stuttering over her words.

"Petunia?" one of the girls behind her sister questioned. Molly.

Petunia opened her mouth several times and Lily got the distinct impression that her sister was fighting the urge to either scream or vomit.

And just like the heavenly angel that she knew her mother was, Rose Evans swooped in, wrapped her arm around Petunia's slim shoulders and led her to the kitchen table as if nothing in the world was wrong.

Petunia's mouth snapped shut loudly and Lily winced, forcibly easing her grip on the tea tin.

"Your sister and I were just starting on breakfast," their mother informed the room. "Molly, Tara, Felicia: is there something specific that you would like to eat? Pet, what about you?"

"Grapefruit," Pet's friends chorused, as if they had practiced the answer.

At the sound of her friends' voices, Petunia seemed to snap back to reality, quickly realizing that she was the only one that appeared to be acting strangely.

Lily ducked and knelt quickly to pick up the fallen tea bags, stuffing them back into the tin can.

"I'll have the same," Petunia said, her voice faint.

As Lily turned back to the kettle, she could feel her sister's eyes burning into the back of her head. Filling the kettle with water from the sink, she jumped as she placed the kettle onto the stove top a little too hard.

"Why don't you go wash up, darling," Rose suggested quietly, placing her hands on her youngest daughter's shoulders lightly.

She nodded silently, turning to leave the room quickly, exhaling heavily once she made it to the household's shared bathroom.

"Such an arse," Lily cursed at herself, glaring at her reflection in the mirror.

Her cheeks were burning just as bright as she knew they would be, and her hair, despite her mother's earlier assistance, was wild around her face and shoulders.

Turning on the tap, she cupped cold water into her hands, splashing it onto her face. Once she toweled her face dry, she opened the medicine cabinet to retrieve her back-up hairbrush, focused on taming her tangled mess of hair.

"Wha –"

The cabinet where she had always kept her back-up supplies was now filled with men's things – razors, cologne, a bottle of shaving cream, and other little random, obviously male things.

Quickly growing annoyed, she shut the medicine cabinet loudly, crouching to look beneath the sink and pull open the drawers and cabinets.

It wasn't until she checked in the very back of the smallest cupboard that she found her things stuffed into a small, cardboard box, completely indistinguishable unless you looked inside of the box itself.

Lily sat back onto the floor, placing the box in between her legs and pulling the top open. She began rifling through her own discarded things, checking to make sure that none of her belongings were missing.

Feeling both hurt and angered, she stuffed everything back into the small box, her original goal of brushing her hair out completely gone from her mind. She tucked the box under her arm and grabbed the handle and twisted it, pulling open the door angrily.

She jolted to a stop, startled when she came face to face with her sister.

"Why are all of my things stuffed into a box?" Lily blurted, brandishing the box like a sword into her older sister's face.

Petunia, she noticed with satisfaction, managed to first look apologetic, her thin hands wringing in front of her. "There wasn't any room for it," her sister responded, growing defensive at Lily's glare and quickly squared her shoulders.

"But you knew I was coming back!"

"I didn't throw anything away!" Petunia defended, crossing her arms over her chest.

"That's not the point!" she said, shaking the box at her sister. "Why would you do this?"

"I said, there wasn't any room for it!" Petunia replied, raising her voice.

"And there was for his?!" she hissed, taking a step forward. "For that pompous –"

"Girls!" Rose Evans thundered, sticking her head into the hallway. Their mother fully stepped around the corner when she took note of their offensive stances.

"Sorry, mum," the two girls murmured, quickly dropping their eyes and the fight.

As Rose came forward, she looked disapprovingly at both of the girls, holding out Lily's knapsack out for her to take.

"Thank you," she muttered, shifting to balance the box on her hip and reaching her other hand out to take the bag from her mother's grasp.

"Breakfast is ready. You'll have to hurry up and eat. We'll be leaving soon," Rose told them, giving the two sisters one last look before turning on her heel and returning to the kitchen.

"I'm not saying sorry for moving your stuff," Petunia whispered viciously.

"Petunia," she whispered back, hurt.

For the briefest of moments, the older of the two sisters looked apologetic, before the expression smoothed over. Petunia turned swiftly and stormed away, leaving Lily standing alone with her stuffed box of bathroom supplies and the burlap knapsack that she'd had for years. She could hear her sister greet her friends, their chatter muffled through the walls of the house.

With a shaky exhale, Lily turned to drop off her possessions onto her bed in her room, staring down at her small box of belongings for a long moment before turning back around and returning to the kitchen as her mother had requested.

Petunia and her friends had moved into the living room now – she was able to catch words like 'flowers', 'bouquets' and 'boutonnières' as she passed by them on her way to the kitchen, her presence ignored.

Lily found the kitchen empty, locating the plate of toast her mother had set out. She grabbed a piece and picked it apart, taking small bites. It tasted like ash in her mouth.

"Ready to go?" her mother asked moments later, standing in the doorway.

Dropping what was left of her toast onto the plate, she turned to stare at her mother pitifully. "I'm not even wanted here."

Rose glanced behind her towards the chattering girls, confirming they weren't paying attention, and moved closer to her youngest daughter. She brushed her hair out of her face lovingly. "Lily-love, you are wanted here. We'll get through this dress fitting and all will be well."

"Sure," she replied quietly. "Get through the dress fitting and all will be well."

"You're riding with me," Rose told her, wrapping her arm around Lily's shoulder once the young redhead stopped fidgeting. "The girls are riding with Pet."

"Good," she murmured, pressing her face into her mother's collarbone. Her mother squeezed her shoulders, hugging the young girl tightly before releasing her.

"Mum!" Pet called from the other room. "We're leaving!" There was the slam of the front door, the house now silent.

"Let's go, darling."

Lily followed her mother out of the house, waiting patiently as she locked the door and gestured towards the car. Across the way, Lily saw Vernon's car, Pet behind the wheel, looking a bit tense. Rose waved them on and Pet started the car up, pulling the car into drive and peeling off a bit recklessly.

"Which shop are we going to?" Lily asked once they'd both settled into the car, leaning her head against the window as her eyes traced the pavement and its lines.

"That small boutique called 'Bernadette's'. It's not too far away."

Lily had heard of it. It was a pretty expensive shop – most of the girls around their neighborhood would find dresses for the local dances and discotheques there.

"Have you seen the bridesmaid dresses? Has Pet already picked a color?"

Rose shook her head. "I think Pet has an idea, though. She mentioned seeing some options in the catalog."

It wasn't long before Rose pulled the car into the carpark beside the shopping center, locating a spot beside Petunia's fiance's borrowed car.

"Ready?"

"No," Lily said bluntly. "But I'll do it for Pet."

"Thatta girl," Rose said, reaching over to squeeze her arm. "It'll be over before you know it."

She swallowed, feeling nervous as she followed her mother up to the shop's doors. She opened the door first, letting her mother in before stepping in after her, hearing the sound of Petunia and her friend's squeals of delight coming from the back.

The store immediately reminded Lily of Madam Malkin's, the shapes and designs of the clothing in various styles, the colors of fabric just as bright. Except it was much larger than Malkin's, dresses lining the walls and racks as if they were dressing thousands.

"Come on," Rose muttered into her daughter's ear, pressing a hand into her back. They skirted around one last large racks filled with white, large wedding gowns, revealing a long counter that ran along the back of the store and a set of dressing rooms.

Her sister and her friends were huddled around the countertop, joined by a fifth woman that Lily did not recognize.

"Petunia," Rose called, announcing their arrival. Petunia, with an ecstatic look on her face, spun and faced them, clapping her hands together excitedly.

"I love them!" Petunia cried happily, twirling back around to face the counter-top.

Lily anxiously raised up on her tip-toes to try and glimpse the dresses over their shoulders; the girls, however, were so closely huddled together that she was unable to see anything.

The fifth woman that was with them turned, staring down at Lily with an unpleasant expression. And despite only meeting one of them in her lifetime, Lily was easily able to recognize this woman as a Dursley.

"Marjorie," Rose greeted pleasantly, smile on her face.

Enviously, Lily wondered how her mother could be such a kind person.

The woman, who looked to be a few years older than her sister, returned the smile tensely, her lips pulled taut over her teeth. Majorie's blonde hair was short and cut severely, framing her square face in an attempt to accentuate her deep set eyes. She looked like she spent too much time outside, as her skin was very, very tan.

"Please, Mrs. Evans, call me Marge," the woman replied with a sugarine tone.

"Marge, then," Lily's mother agreed. "Then please call me Rose. It's only fair."

Marge turned her eyes back onto her. "And this is Lily, I presume? Petunia and Vernon have told me so much about you."

She pondered what exactly her sister and fiance told her exactly, catching the wary, slightly haughty look on the taller woman's face.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," she responded, trying to copy her mother's pleasant smile. She held out her hand, but Marge pretended to not see it, letting a simpering giggle escape from her lips.

"Time to try on the dresses!" Petunia exclaimed rather shrilly, clapping her hands together.

"Good luck," Lily's mother whispered in her ear, pressing her forward.

The five bridesmaids filed into a line and each were handed a dress covered in white plastic and then directed towards the nearby dressing rooms. Lily stood last, waiting patiently behind Marge. When she stepped up to the counter, Petunia handed her the plastic bag, hanger first.

"Be careful with it," Petunia threatened, giving Lily a severe look.

"I know," she said softly, accepting the dress with gentle hands before turning towards the dressing rooms, taking the last available one. Hanging the dress on the designated hook, she turned and locked the door behind her, taking a breath to prepare herself.

Reaching from the bottom, she began to pull the white plastic up and over the dress.

"It could be worse," she decided, looking over the dress indifferently.

The dress was an odd color, a mixture of pink and peach. Sheer sleeves would cover her shoulders, and the rest of the fabric fell into a strapless cocktail dress. The dress itself appeared to be tight at the waist, but flared out, reminiscent of a style that had been popular in the 50s.

Lily let out a slow breath, rubbing at her face tiredly as she stared at the dress. Without saying a word, she began to undress. Down to her knickers, she pulled the dress off the hanger and stepped into it, tugging at the fabric gently.

Before it even got to her hips, she knew it would be a tight fit. Not without difficulty, she was able to shimmy the dress over her hips, slipping her arms through the sheer sleeves and pulling the rest of the dress up her chest.

The bodice of the dress was stiff enough to hold itself up, but the furthest she could get the zipper was above her waist, just below her bust. Reaching behind her back, she felt two large buttons and knew it would be impossible.

Feeling rather frustrated, she let out a deep breath, trying to remain calm.

"Mum?" she called quietly, fighting embarrassment. "Mum?" she repeated after another moment's hesitation.

"I'm here," Rose said, tapping on Lily's door to signal her presence. Gratefully, Lily swung the door open and pulled her mother in. She spun so that her back faced her mother and Lily twisted her hair out of the way.

From behind her, Lily could hear her mother sigh. "It might be just a bit too small. They'll have to let it out a little," Rose told her, reaching to try and pull the zipper up.

Lily let out all of her breath, trying to assist her mother by using her hands to press her bust against her chest. The two struggled for a moment, as she tried various methods of sucking in her waist.

"Lily!" she heard Petunia call.

"Mum," she whined, pressing harder against her breasts.

"That won't help," Rose snorted.

"Lily!" Petunia exclaimed again. "How's the fit?"

"It won't fit," she spoke between clenched teeth, running her hands over the fabric, feeling suddenly claustrophobic.

"I'm sorry?" said Petunia through the door, but Lily knew that she very well had heard her.

"It won't fit!" she said more loudly, feeling her cheeks burn. Rose gave her a sympathetic look.

"Well, let's see it," Petunia ordered from the other side.

"Fine," Lily intoned, pushing the door open. She stepped out of the dressing room barefoot, feeling rather humiliated as Petunia, her three friends, and her future sister-in-law all studied her closely.

"My, you've grown," Molly bloody Parnell crooned, her eyebrows hidden beneath her bleached fringe. "Not such a scrawny twig anymore, are you?

"Yes," Lily agreed, feeling self-conscious as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Last time you saw me was when I was 12."

Petunia stalked around her like a vulture, her eyes studying the dress. "It doesn't look like it'll be too bad."

"Thank you," Lily murmured, loosening the grip around her waist.

"Cost-wise," Petunia elaborated, rather meanly. "They may have to add some more fabric for it to fit, but that shouldn't cost too much extra."

"Petunia," their mother warned quietly. Petunia shrugged, moving quickly on to the next bridesmaid.

Lily decided not to give her sister the pleasure of a response, turning instead to face the fitting room's three-way mirror. The lighting there was worse; the color of the dress washed her out, nearly matching the blush that had spread over her cheeks and chest.

"I think you look beautiful," her mother told her, watching Lily's face as she stepped up and smoothed the fabric around the bottom of the dress.

"You're supposed to say that," she mimicked with a wry smile when her mother's eyes caught hers in the mirror. Lily twisted her hair to one side as she turned to look in the mirror, feeling a twinge of embarrassment at how noticeably tight the dress was.

"I'm going to measure you," the shop attendant told her as she came up from behind her, measuring tape unraveling in her hands.

"Okay," she said in the least miserable voice she could muster.

The woman was mercifully quick, the measuring taking less time than it had taken Lily to actually put on the dress. The woman pushed her back to her dressing room to change into her normal clothes. Lily did so rather quickly, sighing in relief.

When she stepped out of the dressing room, the rest of the excited bridal party was already dressed and waiting in a circle.

"Last fitting for the dress," her mother informed her, taking a seat in one of the light blue, cushioned chairs.

Lily hummed, leaning against the back of her mother's chair, deciding to wait patiently. At least the attention was off of her.

When Petunia finally revealed herself from behind the dressing room door, the room was filled with one unanimous gasp.

Even Lily could admit the dress did fit Petunia to a tee. The dress was, as Lily's mother said in her previous letter, a pale cream, consisting of a great amount of lace and tulle. The dress, in a manner similar to the bridesmaid's dresses, puffed out at the waist, fell to the floor in volumes.

The dress did a wonderful job of showing off Petunia's slim and tall frame as she spun and squealed, looking extremely pleased.

Lily found herself happy for her.

"You look beautiful," she said earnestly when Petunia turned to face her and her mother.

"Beautiful," Rose repeated, sounding choked up. Petunia squealed again, spinning back towards the mirror.

"Are you tearing up?" Lily asked her mother incredulously.

"No," Rose replied stubbornly, using a handkerchief to dab at the corner of her eyes. "Let's head out – they don't need us anymore."

The group was too distracted to notice their departure, still tending to Petunia as she spun this way and that, pulling at the skirt and tossing it around in flurried excitement.

"She looked happy," Lily mused aloud, dropping down onto the family room sofa once they've returned home.

"She is happy," Rose confirmed, sitting next to her.

"Good. Then I'm happy for her," she murmured, leaning back into the cushions.

"Good," Rose smiled, reaching over to squeeze her daughter's hand. "I'm really glad that you're putting an effort to be a part of her wedding. I know it hasn't been easy for both of you."

"I know we don't always get along anymore, but… I really want her to be happy. I always imagined I would be a part of her wedding day."

"You are," Rose insisted.

"Okay," was all that she could think to say, knowing that if it weren't for their mother, she suspected that Petunia wouldn't want her to be a part of the wedding at all.

"Well, rest up," Rose commanded, patting Lily's knee and moving to stand. "Vernon and his parents are coming over for dinner."

She gasped. "What? You never told me that."

"I didn't?" Her mother feigned an apologetic look. "I swore I did," she added, spinning from the room, exuding an aloofness that made Lily suspicious.

"Mum," Lily whined to the empty room, knowing it was useless.

After having met Vernon and Marge, she was a bit nervous to meet the rest of the Dursley's. But surely, if Petunia saw the good in him, Lily could last a single meal.

She purposefully did not think of the future ahead, recalling the way her things had been stuffed beneath the cupboard under the bathroom sink. If Petunia wanted to keep her hidden, that'd be just fine…

With little else to do, Lily flicked on the telly and laid across the couch to rest her head on the arm. With little effort, she felt herself succumb to sleep.

"Lily!" her mother called, jerking her from her slumber. "Go get cleaned up and dressed – then help me in the kitchen!"

In a rather sleepy mood, Lily followed orders, digging through her knapsack and pulling out a pair of dark, high waisted bell bottoms and a cropped, floral peasant top. She showered and changed quickly, pulling her hair into a tight bun on the top of her head.

"This good?" she asked her mother as she stepped into the kitchen barefoot.

Her mother gave her a onceover and nodded. "As good as it'll get, it seems," Rose teased, wiping sweat from her forehead as she stirred a batch of mashed potatoes on the stove.

"What do you need help with?"

"Can you get the roast out of the oven? It should be done."

"On it," Lily answered, reaching into the drawer to pull out a pair of oven mitts. Carefully, she pulled the pot out of the oven, struggling under the weight of it. She grunted as she carried and lifted the heavy pot onto the counter, sliding it further onto the counter.

Lily jumped as Petunia's surprised guffaw from the doorway.

"I'm so glad you did that after I set the pot down," she breathed, nervously laughing.

"What are you wearing?" Petunia questioned condescendingly, looking at Lily as if she was wearing something street illegal.

Lily tugged off the oven mitts and placed them back in their drawer and turned, looking down at her clothes. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" she asked, bewildered.

"We're having a nice dinner! You can't wear that." Petunia waved a hand over Lily's figure. "This is meant to be a dinner party."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know," Lily said honestly, looking over the dressy pencil skirt and blazer that her sister was wearing. "I'll go change."

The doorbell rang.

"It's too late!" Petunia whispered shrilly, the rubber of her dress shoes squealing loudly as she spun on her heel.

Lily stared down and wiggled her bare toes, looking up at her mother meekly.

"Sorry, Lily-love. I didn't realize either."

"You're not the one wearing hippie clothing."

Rose looked down at her own shift dress, one of the common outfits found amongst her wardrobes. "It'll be fine," she assured her youngest, before returning to tend to the roast.

Through the kitchen doorway, Lily could hear Petunia's voice greet her future parent-in-laws enthusiastically, followed by the low grumble that Lily could assume was Vernon. From beyond the opening, she saw Petunia lead them into the living room, advising the group that dinner would be ready shortly.

"Oh, I forgot to set the table," Rose muttered to herself, fanning her face from the heat.

"Already taken care of," Lily told her, pointing towards the table. The placemats were set, along with the silverware reserved only for special occasions.

She supposed this was one.

"Have I told you I love you?" her mother asked, grasping Lily's cheeks and kissing her forehead.

"Not enough," she said glibly. "Now let's get this food to the table."

"Ready!" Rose called into the living room once she'd place the last dish (a small butter bowl) on the table.

Lily watched curiously from over her mother's shoulder as the Dursley family shuffled into the Evans' kitchen, the normally large room suddenly appearing small and confined with its new occupants.

"Welcome, welcome," Rose greeted, her tone genially.

"Good evening, Rose," greeted who Lily assumed was Mrs. Dursely, Vernon's mother. She had the same complexion as Marge – but Lily was pleased to see this woman's smile seemed more genuine.

"Rose," saluted Vernon's father, a man with grey-silver hair and an expressionless face.

"Vernon," Rose greeted, reaching forward to hug him with a mother's embrace. From the look on his face, Lily noticed he looked mighty uncomfortable.

No longer hidden behind her mother's frame, Lily felt herself become the center of attention very quickly.

"You must be Lily," Mrs. Dursley acknowledged, her smile turning rather wary. She glanced furtively at her son, who shared the same look.

"Yes, ma'am, it's a pleasure to meet you," she greeted, holding her hand out to shake.

Vernon's parents looked at her offered hand. In a similar action to Marge's reaction, they turned their attention elsewhere, pretending that they did not see her extended arm.

Lily let it drop, feeling self-conscious.

"This food looks wonderful," Mrs Dursley complimented, moving to allow her husband to pull out her chair.

"Absolutely delicious," Mr. Dursley agreed, taking his seat shortly after. "Smells like a fine meal."

"Thank you," Rose accepted the compliment graciously, but Lily noticed she was watching her, waiting for her to settle.

Bracingly, Lily brushed their cold greeting off; Marge had reacted the same earlier. The Dursleys may just have an aversion towards germs. It was plausible, she reasoned. And for Petunia's sake, Lily chose to believe it.

Petunia laughed nervously, taking her seat beside Vernon as she held onto his arm tightly.

The first half hour of dinner started off with small talk that Lily did not partake in. She picked at the roast, mindlessly listening in case she was invited into the conversation. It wasn't until the conversation lulled and only the sound of chewing echoing in the small room, did the Dursleys address Lily.

"So how is that private... school?" Mrs. Dursley inquired, sounding pleasant enough.

"Mother," Vernon said beneath his breath, in what Lily thought was a warning tone.

"Fantastic," she supplied, nodding enthusiastically. "There is a lot to the curriculum that I enjoy."

"That's wonderful, dear," Mrs. Dursley said earnestly and Lily thought her genuine, until she noticed that the woman's gaze was set on something behind her shoulder. She wasn't making eye contact.

Mrs. Dursley attempted to reach forward to pat Lily on the arm, in a some-sort of congratulatory pat, Lily assumed, only the woman's own arm was not long enough. The woman tried to cover up the action by instead reaching for the butter dish.

Vernon coughed rather wretchedly.

"Thank you," Lily murmured, catching the peculiar look that Petunia and Vernon shared. "Well, I'm finished. Can I be excused, mum?"

"Of course, Lily," Rose answered, bringing her gaze from the older of her daughters to her youngest. Lily watched as her mother's eyebrows knit together in concern.

"May I take anyone's plate?" she asked, standing up from her seat.

Petunia was the only to nod her head in affirmative, appearing somewhat pleased at her manners, She extended her plate up for her.

Lily smiled as she accepted it, grabbing her own plate and taking them to the sink in order to rinse the uneaten food down the disposal. When she finished, she smiled pleasantly in the general direction of the dining table as she exited the kitchen, self-conscious enough to ensure her posture appeared proper.

"The institute really teaches them manners, doesn't it?" Mrs. Dursley whispered to her husband.

She watched from the corner of her eye as the woman's husband nodded his head vigorously, his large hand squeezing his wife's reassuringly.

Institute? She nearly tripped over her own feet at the word. What the bloody hell had Petunia told them?

Heading towards the front door instead of her bedroom, she forwent putting on her shoes, opening the front door as quietly as she could and slipping out onto the small porch. Navigating her way through the darkness, she located and seated herself onto the porch's swinging bench, wincing at the groaning chains.

Institute? She repeated in her mind with indignation. Had her sister told the whole family she was in a loony bin? She couldn't have gone to a – hell, say a university or something.

Not wanting to bring attention to herself, she crossed one leg underneath her body and let the other dangled freely, using her tiptoes to keep the bench from swaying and creating any more noise.

If she had been seventeen with her wand, she could cast a charm to oil the metal. Maybe make the cushions more comfortable. Even a little warmer. Apparate away to somewhere else she'd not be laughed at.

Was it sad that she missed Hogwarts already, not even twelve hours since she'd returned home? Was it even sadder that she didn't feel comfortable in her own home? Lily hummed, watching from under the porch's roofing as the day gave way to darkness, clearing her conscious mind of all negative thoughts.

Trying to, at least.

She shivered as the sun began to set; the cool October air causing goose flesh to spread across her skin. She rubbed at her arms absentmindedly, studying the lines of the street, how her neighborhood set peacefully quiet.

Laughter sounded from the inside and Lily grimaced, reminded of why she was out here in the first place.

They'd be leaving soon enough...

Deciding to head inside before they came to discover her hiding spot, she stood and stretched, rolling onto the balls of her feet to stretch her legs muscles. The bones in her back popped satisfyingly, a habit she now carried ever since her incident with Donahell.

Another burst of laughter from inside filtered through to her ears.

Squaring her shoulders, she moved closer to the door. By the time she went to place her hand on the doorknob to twist, it was already gone from beneath her hand.

Lily let out a strangled, surprised noise as she realized the Dursleys were suddenly standing in the now open doorway.

The Dursleys, however, seemed much more shocked than Lily herself.

Mrs. Dursley released an ungodly screech, clutching at her purse as if it were a lifeline. Mr. Dursley appeared to not have noticed Lily until his wife had screamed.

He let out a shout, surprised by both the dark figure standing in the doorway and his wife's scream, and fell back against the wall of the entryway, clutching his heart.

"Get her away! Get her away!" Mrs. Dursley was screaming.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" Lily cried, one hand pressed to her heart as she offered up her other to reach out to them in assistance.

Stomping in a hurry, Vernon came up from behind his parents, clearly alarmed by the shouting and screeching. When his eyes caught sight of Lily standing in front of his parents with her hand waving in the air, his eyes bulged.

He jumped forward, barely managing to squeeze between his parents in order to shove Lily out of the way, pushing her further back onto the porch.

She stumbled, catching herself on the swingset with a painful grip. "What?" she cried out.

"Get away from them," he growled menacingly, waving his fist towards her face, taking on a protective stance in front of his parents. "Go to the car," he gruffly ordered his parents, using his other hand to wave them on.

Lily watched in bewilderment as they skirted behind him, shimmying as close as they could to the exterior wall in a means to escape towards their car, running faster than (Lily felt safe to assume) ever before.

Vernon's voice brought her attention back to him. "Don't look at them! You stay away from them," he snarled, his fist held very close to her face.

She choked on her words, scared and confused by his actions. "I – what do you mean –"

From the street, Lily heard the roar of an engine and the screeching of tires. She turned her head to watch them go, baffled.

"Oi!" Vernon roared and her eyes snapped back towards him.

Her stomach rolled, as she quickly realized he was attempting to distract her from doing something to his parents. She spluttered, at a complete loss of what to do.

"Vernon!" Petunia exclaimed, stepping into the doorway's light. "What are you doing?"

"She – she –" he spluttered and even in the darkness, it was clearly visible to see the red creep onto his neck and face. "She tried her– her– you know!" he bellowed, turning to face his fiancé.

Petunia gasped in horror, clapping a hand over her mouth as her eyes locked onto Lily.

"I what?" she gasped, gathering her hands to her chest. She caught on quickly enough – Petunia told Vernon? "Petunia, I– I wouldn't do that. You know I wouldn't! Please, you must believe me!" She reached her hand out to grab her sister's. "I don't even have my wa –"

"Don't!" Petunia screeched, jumping away from her. "Don't say that word!"

"Pet," pleaded Lily, trying to blink away tears at her sister's reaction. "I didn't! I was coming back inside and they opened the door at the same time and I–"

"STOP!" Vernon roared, rushing at her. He leaned over to put his face into hers in a threatening manner, breathing harshly in her face.

Lily grabbed at her pants' pockets reflexively, but her earlier words finally sunk in – she didn't have her wand. She was completely powerless.

"Vernon," Petunia whispered, but it didn't catch his attention.

"You– you," he spluttered, anger radiating off of him in waves she could practically feel. His eyes bulged as he glared down at her.

She opened her mouth to speak, but he stopped her, grabbing onto the collar of her shirt. He twisted the fabric in his hand, wrenching her closer.

"You filthy, wi – wit –,"

"Vernon," Petunia interjected, her voice barely stronger than a whimper.

Lily attempted to open her mouth to speak again, but Vernon grasped her shirt tighter and shook – hard. The knuckles on his large hand knocked against her collarbone and she recoiled in pain, raising her hand to push him away.

He grabbed her wrist harshly and shoved her against the house's wall, effectively knocking the wind from her lungs.

"If I see you try something like that ever again," he hissed with warning and Lily cried out in pain, struggling to free her wrist from his crushing grip.

He refused to let go, his fist nearly crushing the bones of her wrist as he used his grip to shake her again violently, knuckles against her throat as she felt the back of her head meet the brick wall behind her.

He leaned closer to her face. "I'll make sure you won't ever be able to speak," he finished with conviction, shaking her again.

"Vernon!" Petunia cried out, pushing at his back with both hands, finally able to grab his attention.

Vernon's grip on her shirt finally loosened, but he used his fist to push her away from them.

Lily fell backwards, rolling onto her back and feeling the back of her head slam into the wood of the decking. The impact caused her vision to swim.

Petunia reached out to grasp his arm, but he shoved her away just as violently, his eyes glaring down at her as he breathed heavily.

"I'll kill you," he whispered menacingly, pointing his finger at her.

Without turning his back to Lily, he shuffled to his car in the driveway, got in, and drove off without another word.

Once he was out of sight, she struggled to sit up, her body shaking uncontrollably. "P–Petunia? You told him?"

"I had to," Petunia cried, stumbled forward, weak at the knees. She reached towards her. "I couldn't keep any secrets from him!"

She choked on a sob. "Why, why, why would you do that?"

"I can't keep things from him!" her sister repeated.

Lily struggled to stand, knees buckling beneath her. "You have to believe me; I didn't do anything to them!"

Petunia nodded furiously, wringing her hands. "I know you have to use your wa – thing – now to do th–those things," she stuttered.

Lily felt her stomach roll, hearing her sister's words. "How can you– How could you believe I w–would do something like that? H–How can you be with someone like that?"

"Lily, please, don't," Petunia pleaded. "He knows he has anger issues – he was just shocked and scared and –"

"Girls?" Rose Evans's voice filtered through the open door. "Where'd you go?"

Petunia's panicked eyes met hers. "You can't tell her."

Lily couldn't help the next sob, eyes already filled with tears. "He attacked me –"

"He thought you were attacking his mum and dad – he was only trying to –"

"He threatened to kill me, Petunia. Isn't that fucking mad? He's going to –"

Petunia let out her own stuttered sob. "He loves me – he's not going to hurt you – he's just –"

They could hear their mother's footsteps approaching and the two girls turned to catch sight of her poking her head through the doorway.

"What's going on?" she asked, looking between her two disheveled daughters.

Lily's throat had begun to close. "I – it all happened so fast –" Her eyes were burning with fresh tears.

Petunia whipped her head towards Lily, her eyes silently pleading. "Nothing. Right, Lily?"

"What's happened?" Rose demanded, stepping closer.

Petunia sent her an imploring look.

"Nothing," Lily whispered hoarsely, before she lost her voice completely. She scrambled to stand on weak legs, brushing past Petunia roughly, sidestepping her mother completely to get inside.

"Lily!" Her mother called from behind her, but she quickened her pace to get to her room. She could hear her sister's voice answering her mother's but slammed her door shut before the words could reach her.

Ensuring that the door was locked, she fell onto the bed, not bothering to change into nightclothes. Grabbing the nearest pillow, she released a fresh set of sobs, shaken by the events that had just occurred. When the sobs had settled into stuttering breaths, she focused on inhaling and exhaling slowly, trying to calm herself.

She closed her eyes, willing herself to imagine the hallways and corridors of Hogwarts', running down the endless passages until she slipped into a fitful sleep.