Lily Evans sat at her kitchen table waiting patiently for the sound of the doorbell. Her mother, Arlene Evans, a tall, skinny woman sat nervously across from her, glancing at the clock hoping that it would tick faster. Lily wanted the opposite. He's late, she thought. Lily and her mother were waiting patiently to meet Vernon, her sister's new boyfriend. Just as Lily was going to break the silence, Vernon beat her to it. A loud hammering at the door startled them and her mother leapt out of her chair and hurried to greet their new guest and the sound of hurried footsteps down the stairs echoed through the house as her sister raced to the door. Vernon strode into the kitchen with his head held high, nose pointing upwards as if someone had replaced his slug-like moustache with rotten eggs. He scanned the room, his eyes failing to wonder over Lily who was sitting right in front of him. Lily, remembering she was on her best behaviour, stood up and stuck her hand out for Vernon to shake. "Hi I'm Lily, Petunia's sister," she said softly. His large form was still blocking the doorway and Lily managed to see her mother and Petunia waiting impatiently behind for him to move. His eyes lingered on her for a moment, just long enough to make her feel uncomfortable and he took her hand reluctantly. His firm grip on her hand made her squirm inwardly but her face showed all the charm she possessed, and that was a lot. Boy, it's going to be a long day! Lily thought and returned to her seat imagining the magical school waiting for her in a weeks' time.

-0-

Lily had been warned by Petunia not to pull any of her "freakish nonsense." Lily had long accepted that her and Petunia would never have the same loving relationship as when they were carefree children. It was only that morning that Petunia had strutted into her room, a sour look on her face "I'm serious Lily, if you even think of acting unnormal in any way possible, I will personally throttle you afterwards." An empty threat, Lily sighed to herself and continued brushing her hair, fixing her stare on Bernie her tawny owl. Petunia spun on her heel and unsurprisingly stopped at the doorway to throw once last nasty glance at her sister over her shoulder.

"Have you told him?" Lily already knew the answer before the question left her lips.

"He thinks that you go to St. Joes" she retorted, her top lip curling into a sly grin. That evil brat! Lily thought, her blood now boiling. He must think I'm some troubled delinquent. Lily was getting worked up, how could her sister hate her so much? Lily's anger was increasing as she replayed all the miserable memories of her sisters hate for her world. With that the mirror on her dresser cracked and she exhaled deeply, knowing that she should probably calm herself down before Vernon's arrival if she was not to live up to the trouble her sister had told Vernon she caused. She waved the wand she kept in her back pocket and muttered "Reparo" under her breath, allowing her a final look at her hair dark red in the mirror before heading downstairs. Lily was glad when she could finally use magic outside of school. After turning 17 in January, she was able to follow through with her threats and she simply had to tap her wand and Petunia was hurrying out of the room as if it was the last thing she were to do.

-0-

St. Joe's was a red bricked prison of a school and anyone unfortunate enough to be sent there would not be fortunate enough to get out without at least one broken bone. Children were only sent to St. Joe's if their behaviour was so terrible, they weren't accepted elsewhere. A shiver was sent down Lily's spine as she thought of someone thinking that she would ever attend the retched place. Lily was a straight A, no tolerance to laziness sort of girl. A perfectionist was an understatement. She was at the top of her year in nearly every subject and was a favourite of all teachers. This is why Lily was so offended that Vernon thought that she attended St. Joes. Lily Evans, anything but perfect? Fat chance. Lily understood that her sister didn't want to tell Vernon about her "abnormality" as she often described it, but there was no need to lead him to believe that she was a troubled girl. If Petunia was as serious about Vernon as she claimed she was, he would have to know the truth. The whole truth.

-0-

Lunch at the Evans' house came and went without a single mention of St. Joe's much to Lily's delight, and the women and their guest finally retired to the living room after devouring an enormous Sunday roast. After finally manoeuvring the conversation away from drills and Vernon's work, Mrs Evans finally asked the question that had been nagging at her brain the whole afternoon "So how did you two meet then? Tunie has been rather reluctant to tell us how she managed to land such a sweetie." Vernon glanced at Petunia, and Petunia gave him a slight nod to continue with his story.

"Well it was rather romantic, if I say so myself, Pet was on a typing course in London a few months ago and she excelled in that and ended up working in my office. As it turns out Petunia was right up my street." Vernon's mouth was pulled into a thin line and maybe someone who was squinting may have classed it as an attempt to smile. That was not romantic, Lily thought, mere coincidence that Petunia has managed to find someone as ignorant as herself.

"Well isn't that just romantic?" Arlene asked Lily and she put on her fakest smile and nodded her head in approval despite the fact that was the most unromantic thing she had ever heard. Lily often fantasised about falling in love with a handsome wizard who accepted her despite her flaws. Lily was gazing into nothingness when a tawny owl was tapping her beak on the living room window with a letter tied to her leg. About time my letter come. Lily raced to the window to let Bernie in and threw Petunia a grin full of pure amusement. Petunia was shrinking into her chair, shaking her head at Vernon who was looking at her with a puzzled expression.

Lily opened the letter carefully, drawing the parchment up to her nose so she could smell the comforting scent of home.

Dear Ms. Evans,

I am delighted to inform you that you have been chosen for the position of Head Girl at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find an enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment for your seventh year.

Term begins on 1 September. You will be expected to meet in the Heads compartment where you and the Head Boy will give a briefing to all Prefects.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Head girl, HEAD GIRL! I can't believe it. Lily stared at the piece of parchment for a moment longer before turning to her mother and throwing her arms around her and embracing her in a bone-crushing hug. "Head Girl Mum, I'm Head Girl! Can you believe it?" Her mother's smile reflected her own, big, and wide and full of joy.

"I'm so proud of you! It was only last week that your father was saying that he wouldn't be surprised if you were made Head Girl. Fancy that, and now you've given us another reason to be the proudest parents on the earth." Her mother's reaction couldn't make up for the scowl that plastered Petunia's face. The smile on Lily's face faltered when she realised that her sister wasn't even slightly happy for her achievement. It was not until Vernon spoke that Arlene finally released her daughter.

"What on earth is going on here? Head Girl at St. Joe's? I've never heard of such lies, that dump would never have a Head Girl, let alone you with your evilness. And what in God's name is this freakish owl doing delivering you letters." Vernon pointed an accusing finger at Lily and she bitterly retorted-

"Maybe you should ask your sweet little Pet to explain to you the truth."

-0-

Vernon left an hour later, shock pulsing through his veins at what he had just been told. Witches and wizards! Some castle called Hogwarts! He would've said it was all a prank that his girlfriend's delinquent sister had manifested in order to make his sweet Pet to look like a fool in front of him had he not seen the kitchen table levitate 3 feet into the air. As soon as the door closed behind him, Petunia turned to her sister and tugged her hair so ferociously Lily wondered if there was any left. "I cannot believe you did that. You will pay for this, I promise you Lily" As Petunia lunged for her much smaller sister grabbing her wrists forcefully, the door swung opened again to reveal a beaming Mr Evans.

"I just ran into Vernon on the lawn, he said that you're Head Girl!"

Petunia released her grip on her sister ever so slightly and Lily gave her father a modest grin as he left his daughters to it and was greeted by his wife with a kiss on the cheek and the sisters overheard him saying "I was saying just last week about how I thought that she would get it. Look at her now, Head Girl of Hogwarts. What an achievement." Their voices were drowned out by the kettle screaming in the kitchen and Petunia tightened her grip on her sister's wrists and whispered slyly into her sister's ear.

"Did I not say that I would make you pay?"

Lily just sighed and thought of all her friends that were waiting for her at Hogwarts. Roll on September 1st.