A/N: Written for Amanda (Daryldixon'sgirl1985) on the Hogwarts Challenges and Assignments forum. I used Lily/Narcissa (with some James/Regulus and platonic James & Harry thrown in) as well as the prompts everyone lives AU, (plot point) flying, and (plot point) celebrating a holiday.
Also written for Hogwarts Assignment 4 Forestry task 1: Write about someone in the LGBTQplus community.
Word count: 3,821
Lily wove through the crowd, careful not to spill the glass of red wine she had clutched in her hand.
She smiled and bowed her head politely at an older couple she recognized as she passed, but she didn't stop to talk. Her friends were somewhere in the large ballroom, and she much preferred speaking to them instead of getting caught up in ingratiating small talk.
Though she was thankful the Ministry had finally declared the end of the war an official holiday, the official celebration was more of an obligation than something she'd desired to attend. As the mother of the Chosen One, everyone wanted to talk to her more than she wanted to talk to them. She couldn't blame Harry in the slightest for being tired of his own larger fame.
She had nearly made it to Alice and Frank when an unfamiliar woman crossed her path. Her golden brown hair was in an elaborate updo that Lily never could have achieved herself (though she had perfected her own loose curls after several hours of effort). As soon as Lily noticed the woman's eyes, her hair was the last thing on her mind though. They were green, several shades lighter than the emerald of Lily's own.
She was breathtaking and also appeared to be somewhere around Lily's age, which only piqued Lily's interest more. Surely she would have remembered someone as gorgeous as this woman if they'd attended Hogwarts together.
Something about the woman did feel familiar, but Lily couldn't pinpoint what it was. She knew of no name to attach to the face.
"Hello," Lily said, putting on her most charming smile as she stopped in front of the woman. "I'm Lily Evans. I don't believe we've met."
The woman's eyes widened as she realized that Lily Evans was speaking to her, but that wasn't all that surprising. People had been looking at Lily like that since the miraculous Halloween night when her whole family had become famous. No matter how friendly she was, some would always find her intimidating.
"Tracy Bush," the woman said, taking Lily's offered hand. "It's an honour to meet someone as well-respected as yourself."
From most, the comment would have made Lily roll her eyes, but the woman's voice was so attractive that Lily's cheeks warmed instead. She cleared her throat as she let go of the woman's hand.
There was something about the way the woman spoke, too, that was familiar despite Lily's certainty that she'd never heard her voice before.
"Did you attend Hogwarts?" Lily asked, careful to keep her voice curious but not demanding. "I imagine I would have remembered someone like you if you had."
The woman let out a short, embarrassed laugh and averted her gaze to the floor.
"No," she said. "My parents had me homeschooled. They were rather protective while they were alive. It was their way of keeping me safe."
The words were spoken quickly, like a rehearsed answer that she'd grown tired of giving. Lily didn't blame her. Talking about things people would judge you for was never fun.
"Well, I'm glad we've met now," Lily said with another smile. "If you don't mind me asking, what is it that you do?"
The woman hesitated, shifting from one foot to the other.
"Nothing interesting," she said quietly, glancing over her shoulder as she spoke. "I need to go. I'm sorry."
She fled before Lily could say another word, disappearing into the crowd as if she'd Disapparated.
Lily craned her neck to peer over the crowd, hoping to catch sight of the woman's retreating figure, but she had vanished.
Remus emerged from the crowd, also watching the spot where the woman had disappeared.
"Who was that?" he asked as he clanked his butterbeer against her wine glass in greeting.
"Tracy Bush," Lily said dreamily. "But that's all I know. She didn't want to share much about herself."
Remus hummed.
"Tracy Bush," he repeated. "Isn't that the woman who just opened a flight school in Diagon Alley?"
Lily hadn't heard of any flight school, but she was determined to learn more about it if it meant also learning about the woman.
Remus grinned at her intense expression. He knew very well how she could get once she decided she was interested in someone.
"It opened last week," he said. "I'm sure they still have open lessons if one were to want to schedule one."
Lily smiled and raised her glass in a salute to him.
"Thank you, Remus. I can always count on you."
Remus snorted but tapped his drink against Lily's dutifully before taking another sip.
The flying school was on a quiet side street that branched off Diagon Alley. Though the area didn't receive much traffic, that had allowed for a yard with enough room to make a decent flying space. It was nothing that could have housed a Quidditch game, but it was more than Lily had expected to find. She stared at the place as she approached, impressed with the work that had gone into it.
Her heart raced as she pushed open the door. There was no one inside except Tracy, who was perched behind the counter and looked up the second the bell above the door rang. Her eyes widened at the sight of Lily just like they had at the party, and Lily couldn't help but smile in response.
"Hello," she greeted, emboldened by the reminder of how breath-taking the woman in front of her was. "I've come to sign up for flying lessons."
The look on the woman's face would have been comical if Lily hadn't been slightly nervous about the response she would receive.
Tracy opened and closed her mouth several times before she could speak.
"Most of my clientele is a little younger," she said, allowing herself a small grin at the words.
Lily hummed. She'd surmised as much from the brightly coloured decor and child-sized brooms decorating the place.
"Didn't you take flying lessons at school?" Tracy pressed, leaning over the counter as she did so. "I've heard that it's a standard part of Hogwarts' curriculum."
Though she seemed to be turning down Lily's request for lessons, there was something flirtatious in her tone. The space between sparked with electricity, and Lily soaked it in as she mimicked the way Tracy was leaning over the counter.
"I did," Lily admitted with a shrug. "But it wasn't my favourite subject back then. I'm afraid I didn't pay as much attention as I should have, and I regret it. Now seemed as good a time as ever to do something about it. I do love a chance to show up my ex husband."
Tracy gave a short laugh.
"I've heard about James Potter's Quidditch skills. I'm not sure if I could get you to his level. I'd have to see you on a broom first."
She fell silent, her lips pursed as she considered the situation.
"But I can try."
Lily's smile widened.
"Really?" she asked. "Great! When can we get started?"
Tracy laughed at her enthusiasm.
"We're open Tuesday through Friday from eight to five and on Saturdays from eight to one. Considering we've only just opened, I could squeeze you in just about anywhere."
"Great," Lily replied brightly. "I'll take the first open spot you have."
Tracy raised an eyebrow before turning towards her calendar to hide her smile.
"Monday at eight then?" she asked, only turning back to look at Lily after finishing the question.
"I'll be here with bells on."
She couldn't resist one last look over her shoulder as she left, smiling to herself as she caught Tracy shaking her head fondly behind the counter.
The practice broom was brand new. Lily could tell that she was the first student to ride it. It was a reminder of how curious the woman beside her was. Lily had a million questions that she could tell the woman didn't want to be asked.
That didn't stop them from floating around her mind.
In a way, she was thankful for them. They distracted her just enough that she fumbled as she mounted the broom. Tracy grinned as if amused by her inexperience.
She stepped closer, placing a hand to Lily's back to steady her though her feet had yet to leave the ground. Lily's heart raced.
It had been a long time since someone had put her on edge as much as Tracy did. None of the seemingly endless dates she'd been on since her divorce had included an attraction like what she felt towards Tracy.
She needed something to distract her from the other woman's touch and, in her haste, asked what she hadn't meant to.
"Why did you start this flying school?"
Tracy's gaze was sharp, as if she'd honed in on a deeper reason for Lily's question.
"Hasn't that already come up?" she asked. "And aren't you supposed to be paying attention to flying?"
"I can talk and learn at the same time," Lily said, adjusting her feet in the exact way Tracy was about to tell her to.
The woman raised an eyebrow, and Lily smiled back innocently.
"It was time for a change," Tracy said, deciding not to comment on Lily's perfect form for take off. "After thinking about it long and hard, this was something I could do that no one would expect of me. So, I did it."
She took a deep breath and took a step back, leaving Lily to mourn her touch.
"Now, I think you're ready to try some hovering."
Lily grinned.
"Not too high," Tracy cautioned her. "We don't want to get carried away. That's when accidents happen. Just lightly push off the ground, so you don't go very far."
Lily gave a quick nod before pushing off with her feet. She did just as Tracy instructed, coming to hover with her feet just a few inches from the ground. But she'd executed it a bit too flawlessly, and Tracy wouldn't let it go a second time.
"You're more talented on a broom than you let on," Tracy chided, her hands finding her hips.
Lily shrugged and gave a sheepish smile. There was no use hiding it. She'd known it was only a matter of time before she couldn't keep up pretenses any longer, even if she'd been hoping she'd be a better actress than she turned out to be.
"My husband's a Quidditch player," she said. "I suppose I picked up a few things over the years."
Tracy laughed and shook her head. Lily might have been worried she'd offended her if there hadn't been a sparkle in her eye that hinted at amusement.
"Then why go through all this trouble?" Tracy asked, motioning at the small lot in the back of her school. "Why pay me for lessons you clearly don't need?"
Lily lowered herself to the ground and dismounted from the broom.
"Because you seemed nervous to speak to me, and I wanted to get to know you better. I thought the lessons would give us a way to talk that didn't put too much pressure on you."
Tracy raised an eyebrow, her expression suddenly sharper than it had been before. Lily's hand tightened around the broomstick.
"This isn't a good idea," Tracy said, turning away from her. "You don't know what you're getting into."
Lily dropped the broom to the ground and took several steps forward to close the distance between them, desperate.
"What does that mean? Isn't the point of getting to know each other about learning what you're getting yourself into?"
Tracy sighed. She still wouldn't look at Lily.
"Only if you're getting to know the person you think you are," she whispered just loudly enough for Lily to hear.
Lily froze, brow furrowing.
It was as if Tracy's entire demeanor changed. Though she looked exactly the same, her shoulders straightened, and her lips pressed into a thin line, changing the look of her face.
"What do you mean?" Lily asked, her heart racing.
"That you wouldn't want anything to do with me if you knew who I actually am."
Lily took a deep, steadying breath. Her mind raced as it tried to decipher Tracy's words. She did her best to dismiss her own thoughts, certain that she was getting ahead of herself.
Mimicking Tracy, Lily straightened her shoulders and tightened her jaw.
"Try me," she said, her emerald eyes sharp.
Tracy's face was a stone mask that no longer betrayed any emotion as she spoke.
"My name isn't Tracy. It's Narcissa Black. Or Malfoy as many would call me, though I can't lay claim to that name any longer."
Lily was frozen in place. Even her racing mind hadn't considered such a possibility, and she couldn't process what she was hearing. Luckily, Narcissa didn't wait for her to respond before continuing.
"After the war, I needed an escape. The propriety that had held together my marriage for so long no longer existed, and I needed an escape. Changing my appearance was easy enough with the right potions and spells. Few people prod you about your identity these days. It's become too much of a faux paus since the war. It was easy enough to act like I'd always existed as Tracy Bush."
Silence fell between them as Lily continued to stare. Try as she might, she couldn't see Narcissa Malfoy in Tracy's features. She could, however, see it in the way Tracy had begun holding herself since revealing her identity.
"I don't know what to say," Lily murmured, reaching up to brush her hair from her face. "It's hard to believe that someone like Narcissa Malfoy of all people would want to live in obscurity."
Tracy let out a snort that most certainly didn't remind Lily of Narcissa before raising her wand to her temple.
Her hair was the first thing to change. It straightened and lightened until it looked the same as Lily remembered it. Her face morphed next. Lily watched with fascination as her eye colour changed and her nose lengthened. As she watched, she could see that there were parts of Tracy's face that were Narcissa's own. Really, Narcissa hadn't changed that much. Just what was absolutely necessary to disguise herself.
It was undoubtedly Narcissa Malfoy standing before Lily, but Lily could see bits of the Tracy who she'd been enthralled with. There were just enough similarities to assure Lily that they were the same person.
Narcissa's expression was soft, almost nervous, as Lily looked at her, and Lily realized that Narcissa had always been attractive. It was merely her demeanor that Lily had found off putting, and that was gone.
Narcissa didn't say a word as Lily took her time cataloguing her true appearance.
Eventually, she found the words she wanted to say.
"I've always wanted to thank you for saving my son's life," she admitted. "But I didn't know how to find you, and I figured you wouldn't want to hear it anyway."
Narcissa shook her head and allowed herself a hesitant smile.
"You don't need to thank me. My actions during the battle were entirely selfish. I did it to save my son, not yours."
Lily swallowed and nodded her head, taking a step closer and feeling emboldened when Narcissa didn't back away.
"I understand that better than if you'd been trying to save Harry. Besides, I have something else to thank you for too."
Narcissa's brow furrowed, and Lily found herself appreciating the new expression far more than she could have imagined.
"Your lie makes mine look like nothing at all."
Lily smirked as she motioned at the broom she'd discarded on the ground.
Narcissa followed her gesture, blinking at the broom once before she realized what Lily was saying. The smile that bloomed on her face was breathtaking.
"I suppose it does," she said, trying and failing to quell her smile.
Lily tilted her head to the side.
"It also doesn't make me want to get to know you any less," she said, holding Narcissa's gaze with heavy intent.
Narcissa sucked in a deep breath, not moving from where she stood.
"I still think I'm going to let you down as Narcissa," she said, though her gaze was as intense as Lily's.
Lily shook her head as she closed what space was left between them. She extended her hand slowly, giving Narcissa plenty of time to pull away before she intertwined their fingers together.
"I wouldn't be so sure of that," she said, giving Narcissa's hand a squeeze to emphasize her words. "At any rate, I'd like the chance to find out for myself."
Narcissa's cheeks turned the loveliest shade of pink Lily had ever seen before, and she realized that Narcissa's blush was one thing that she'd kept as Tracy. She was thankful for it. It complimented Narcissa's complexion even more than it had her disguise's.
"I've never seen you bashful before," Lily said. "I like it. I have no idea why you think you're going to disappoint me."
Narcissa laughed nervously, her eyes locked on her and Lily's interlocked hands.
"Well, I'm glad you like it because I've been feeling particularly...uncertain, shall we say, since the war."
She looked up at Lily, jostling their hands as she did so.
"It was a wake up call as they say. My entire life, I'd gone along with what was expected of me, and suddenly, I wanted to think for myself. That was scarier than I could have imagined. I've realized that I don't know much of anything."
"I wouldn't say that. You know how to fly."
Lily's heart skipped a beat at Narcissa's laugh.
"And I'm more than happy to help you figure out what else you know," Lily concluded, taking one small step forward.
Narcissa's gaze met hers again. They were close enough that their breaths intermingled, and Lily's heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest.
She closed the space between them, smiling against Narcissa's lips when the other woman met her halfway.
One Year Later
The next time the Ministry held their celebration for the end of the war, Lily and Narcissa arrived hand-in-hand. Though they'd been together nearly a year, Lily was proud to have such a gorgeous woman at her side.
Sirius stood by the entrance to the ballroom, at ease in his formal dress robes despite how rarely he could be convinced to wear them. He watched them approach with slightly narrowed eyes.
"Sirius," Lily greeted him with a gentle smile, ignoring his look. "Nice to see you."
He smiled and hugged her, but his greeting towards Narcissa, while not cold exactly, was reserved. Even after the past year, he was having trouble accepting her back into his life. To him, she was still part of the family who had betrayed him, but Lily knew they both wanted to reconnect, just like Sirius and Regulus had already managed to do. The problem was that neither of them had figured out how to yet.
"Where are the others?" Lily asked as Sirius and Narcissa finished shaking hands.
Sirius lips quirked upward in a smirk.
"James and Regulus were talking to Harry last I saw them. You'd think after a lifetime as the Boy-Who-Lived, Harry'd be better at public speaking, but he looked like he was about to piss himself when I left."
Lily sighed. Sirius was undoubtedly exaggerating things for his own amusement, but it was true that Harry loathed public speaking. He'd gotten out of making a speech last year, but this year, the Minister had been adamant.
"I should go find them," Lily said, giving Narcissa a small, contrite smile.
"Of course," Narcissa said, squeezing her hand before pulling away. "I'll save a seat for you."
"Andromeda and Ted have a table," Sirius told Narcissa as Lily walked away. "I think Remus and Tonks are already over there too."
The crowd of people easily parted for Lily as she pushed her way through them. They seemed to know that she was looking for her famous son, with several pointing her in the right direction. Not that she needed it.
James and Harry were standing backstage, not far out of sight of the waiting crowd. Regulus wasn't with them, apparently having left before Lily reached them.
"Just remember," James was saying as Lily walked up, "you're already their hero. Nothing you say up there will change that. Just smile and read what's on the paper. They'll love it."
James had his hands on both of Harry's shoulders, blocking Lily's view of their son until she'd come around to stand at his side. Harry tried to smile at his mum when he saw her, but the attempt was feeble. Lily patted his back like she'd done often when he was a child.
"What your dad said," she assured him. "You'll do great. You've done enough of these already."
She shooed James away from him so that she could take his place and begin fixing Harry's bowtie. Harry accepted the help with a silent roll of his eyes, one that he shared with James over Lily's head. She pointedly ignored the exchange.
"It'll only be five minutes, and then you can sit with us for the rest of dinner," she concluded, pulling away as she finished with his tie.
Harry sighed and nodded, his eyes growing distant as he stared into space.
"Five minutes," he repeated to himself.
Lily patted him on the arm just as an organizer called out that he was needed on stage. Harry went reluctantly, casting one last glance at his parents before he disappeared.
"We did a good job," James said as they watched him go.
Lily snorted.
"Obviously," she said. "Why? Did you think we were going to screw up?"
James shrugged, but when Lily turned to look at him, he was more serious than she had expected.
"After the divorce… You just never know in those kinds of situations, you know?"
Lily nodded. It was true. She'd worried about a lot of things during and after the divorce, but it was no use doing that anymore. They were both happy, and most importantly, Harry was too. She was proud of James as much as herself, not that she would admit that out loud and stroke his ego."
"Come on," she said instead. "We need to take our seats before we miss it."
They found their friends and significant others quickly in the crowd, two seats saved especially for them. Lily took Narcissa's hand, cradling it in her lap, and in the last seconds before Harry appeared on stage, she glanced over at James, who had wrapped his arm around Regulus to whisper something in his ear.
Her life wasn't where she had thought it would be even ten years before, but that didn't make her smile any less as Harry took the stage.