Chapter 1: A Beginning of Sorts
Hope you all enjoyed the prologue! Sorry for it being short, but I had to get the ball rolling. Please read on, and enjoy! Also reviews are very much appreciated.
Among numerous other things, this is first and foremost a love story. A story of two individuals who were so absolutely smitten with each other that things such as blood and outsider influence should have posed no threat, but as it so often the case, fate operates in mysterious ways.
In 1976, Lily Evans had an epiphany (or two).
In 1976, Severus Snape made a series of bad decisions.
In 1976, James Potter realized that he had royally messed up (more than once).
In 1976, Sirius Black made two awful, horrible mistakes within a period of roughly six hours.
In 1976, Potions and Charms and the like were the least of Remus Lupin's worries.
In 1976, Marlene McKinnon made the same mistake over and over.
In 1976, Hogwarts became a (more) hectic place.
(But more on that later)
September 1st 1976
Anticipation gnawed at me as I turned toward my parents to say my final goodbye. Tears brimmed my mother's eyes as she drew me towards, encompassing me in a bear hug. "Have a great semester darling. Don't forget to do your homework!" she says, smiling sadly as she gives me one last squeeze.
"Do you even know me, Mum? I'm an exemplary student." I announce, flipping my hair jokingly and nudging her with my elbow. Giving her one more reassuring pat on her shoulder, I turn to Dad, who is sporting a proud grin.
"See you later kiddo. Have fun, but don't forget your studies; they're your priority." He states teasingly, only half-joking. Before I can respond, the train lets out a puff of steam, warning the students loitering on the platform that they should pick up the pace. Waving goodbye to my parents, my eyes slide to a spot slightly behind them where my sister Petunia currently stands, eyes hardening as they fall on me.
"See you at Christmas Tuny," I call flippantly over my shoulder – in an (unsuccessful) attempt to appear disinterested – as I begin to drag my trunk toward the train. She doesn't even respond, and I scoff at her immaturity and childishness, but am unable to suppress the hurt that stabs at my heart and the gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach. Taking a deep breath, I mentally scold myself for letting her jabs (or in this case, her blatant disregard) get to me, but I can't help it.
Pushing her as far from my thoughts as I can manage, I haul my luggage on board and make my way down the corridor, peering into compartments in the hopes of finding my best friends, Mary Macdonald and Marlene McKinnon. I have no such luck until I near the end of the train, when I notice a familiar head of thick brown curls through the glass pane, accompanied by a head of significantly thinner, waist-length blond hair.
Sliding the door open, I am met with the enthusiastic squeals of my best mates and incessant babble before I can even get my bearings. "Woah woah woah!" I yell as my ears continue to be assaulted, and I hold up my hands as if to fend off their words. "First things first." I say, holding up a finger, promptly silencing them. "I'm so glad to see you guys again!" I exclaim, pulling them into a group hug.
Laughing manically, (and somewhat ridiculously, considering we had seen each only two short months earlier) we sit down and kick our feet up onto the seats, as we're not expecting anymore companions.
"So?" I ask. "How were your summers?" Both Marlene and Mary had been traveling for the entire holiday period, so we hadn't gotten the opportunity to catch up.
Marlene immediately launches into a recount of her families' trip to Italy, acquiring a sort of wistful expression on her beautiful features as she tells us of her visits to the Colosseum, Saint Mark's Basilica, the Uffizi Gallery and other attractions alike. Some emotion akin to envy grips me for a brief moment, tearing at my stomach until I shake myself out of stupidity. This is my best friend here I reprimand myself, feeling guilty straight away for being so awful.
"That sounds wonderful Mar" I proclaim, whilst squishing my fleeting feeling of jealousy. I am genuinely glad to know she had such a fantastic vacation, though.
She smiles gleefully at me, and in turn asks me about my holiday. Just as I begin prattling on about how boring and uneventful my summer was, Mary interrupts me.
"Hey Lil, aren't you supposed to be at the prefects meeting?" she asks, feigning innocence, but I can see the beginnings of a smirk tugging at her lips.
"Shit!" I exclaim, jumping to my feet and rushing out the door. Mary's and Marlene's laughter follows me down the hallway. Walking briskly down the corridor, I dodge several fourth year boys pounding on a compartment door, which is full of giggling fourth year girls. I can't help but grin at them, as my experience as a fourth year was that of silly little crushes and flirting.
Several first years sprint past me, and I'm half-tempted to dole out punishments then and there, but out of laziness I don't bother. Let them have their fun I think to myself. There's not so much of it anymore.
Upon considering this, a wave of nostalgia rolls over me, and I find myself reminiscing on my past years at Hogwarts as I near the prefect's car. Distracted even as I walk in, I barely register Remus Lupin waving me over to where he sits, but I do notice that the Head Boy – Frank Longbottom (who is currently dating the Head Girl, Alice Gibbons) – stops speaking.
"Hey Frank, Al, sorry for being late – won't happen again." I say with a sheepish grin, and they both laugh at that, and Alice responds with "oh, fine then, I'll let your tardiness slide this time. It's good to see you again Lil." Regarding me with a grin and a nod of his head, Frank returns to addressing the other prefects.
"Did I miss anything important?" I mutter to Remus, who shakes his head with a sigh. "Same old, same old", he replies, and I'm immensely relieved to hear that and tune out for the rest of the meeting, as it's the same information every year. As the meeting draws to an end, Frank hands me a slip containing the password to the Gryffindor common room and the dates of my rounds.
Thanking him and Alice, after promising to meet up with them at the feast, I walk out of the room with Remus and we discuss our summers.
"How was dear Petunia?" he asks, the question coupled with a chuckle. Rolling my eyes so violently I'm surprised they don't fall out I reply. "Well, she recently acquired herself a new boyfriend." At this, Remus' eyebrows climb his forehead and I can't help but laugh. "I know right, absurd isn't it? But the thing is they're the perfect match because he is not only the most boring prat to ever exist, he also knows that I'm a witch, and if possible, hates me more than Petunia does!"
Unable to hold back his amusement anymore, Remus doubles over, gasping. I laugh along with him, as it is quite an absurd – and oddly funny – thing, and partially because his laugh is contagious. Once he finally composes himself, we continue down the corridor in comfortable in silence until he says, "I am sorry Lily, I truly am, that you had to deal with that horrible bloke all summer."
"Eh," I reply. "At least I won't have to deal with them for a while", I continue, shrugging my shoulders. He stops walking and turns to me, gesturing towards a compartment behind me, which I assume is the carriage containing his best mates, the other Marauders.
"Well I guess I'll see you at the feast, Lily." He says, and I bid him goodbye. As he enters the compartment, my eyes briefly settle on James Potter, the world's biggest prat and one of Remus' best mates. His expression is unreadable as he stares at me, so I turn away before I can let it confuse me.
That was extremely odd I ponder as I continue toward my train car. Usually he would ask me out, or at least say something flirty. Knowing that attempting to analyze Potter is futile, I disregard all thoughts of him. A group of third year Gryffindor girls walks past me, and I smile and greet them politely. I know most of the members of my house, and a large portion of those from other houses, as I have tutored many of the younger students and have close friends in the year above me.
I'm not the most popular and well-known student in the school (that position is rather unfortunately occupied by Potter), but I'm a far cry from being someone that slips under the radar. A fair portion of my popularity probably comes from the infamous Lily/James rows that Potter and I often find ourselves having, but I don't fret much about the semantics.
Just as I reach my compartment, I hear my name (well a nickname really) being called out to me from inside a car I just passed. Turning around, I notice a very familiar and very handsome face poking out from the door. "I just wanted to say hey, and that it's great to see you again Lil", says Mason Daniels, a sixth year Ravenclaw, and a particularly smart and attractive one.
Need I also mention that he's super sweet and amazingly talented at Quidditch? And that I might have a massive crush on him?
"Hey Massie, how are you?" I inquire, embracing him in a hug. As he is quite tall and I'm relatively short, he bends down to hug me, to a point where it looks painful. Chuckling, I release him and step back as he straightens up, stretching his back.
"I'm great, now that I've seen you", he says, poking me in the side. "Merlin Lily, have you always been this short?" he continues, rolling out a crick in his neck. Laughing, I hit him playfully on the shoulder. "I think the real question is have you always been this damn tall?" I retort, sticking my tongue out at him. Snickering, he opens his mouth to reply but stops short.
Whirling around, I see Mary step into the hallway, a complaint about how I'm taking so long half out of her mouth when she notices who my companion is. Eyes widening, a smirk stretches across her features, and she rushes back into the carriage, undoubtedly to gossip with Marlene about this. Heat rises to my cheeks, and I turn back to Mason, and a surprised gasp tumbles out of my lips before I can control, as he's standing a mere six inches from me. Tilting my head up, I blush to my roots as I see him staring at me, a slight grin lighting up his face. His eyes flutter down to my lips, and my heart just about leaps out of my chest.
"Well Lil, I guess I'll see you later", he whispers, as if sharing a secret with me. Nodding mutely, I watch him as he walks back into his compartment after shooting me a crooked grin. My cheeks aflame, I turn away and walk as calmly as I can manage to my carriage. Sliding the door open, I step inside, and close it behind me.
Knowing that my blush probably gives me away, I sit down across from Mary and Marlene anyway and pretend to busy myself by brushing invisible lint off my jeans. I see them exchange an impatient glance, obviously conveying that they're itching to know what went down between me and Mason.
"You're looking at me like I've sprouted an extra head," I announce without even looking up. I hear one of them let out a frustrated breath and I grin, knowing that I'm pushing their buttons.
"Oh, Mary, I never got to ask about your summer. How was France?" I ask, finally glancing up. I watch as Mary shots me an incredulous look. "It was fantastic. But that is so not what we're talking about", she points out.
"As far as I was concerned, we weren't talking about anything", I reply, raising an eyebrow. Before she can retort, the trolley stops outside of our door, and I leap to my feet, only just realizing how hungry I am. I didn't know how famished I was until now because I had been, ahem, distracted by other things. Fishing some sickles out of my pocket, I pass them to the lady pushing the cart and grab a handful of sweets, as does Marlene and Mary.
Getting comfortable again after the cart continues on its path, I finally relent to Mary and Marlene's expectant and pointed stares.
"Okay okay" I finally say, giggling at their relieved faces. "So we didn't actually kiss", I say, and we all sigh. "But!" I exclaim, watching as their expressions go from crestfallen to excited in a matter of moments. "We were so, so close." I continue, squealing.
Both of them laugh, as they know that I've crushed on him since the middle of fifth year. "But anyway, that's enough about that. We've been on the train for what, half an hour, and already we're on the topic of boys?" I say, and for the rest of the train trip we talk about everything, from the latest gossip to the Marauders and our love interests (our resolve to not talk about Mason lasted all of about fifteen minutes).
As the train slows to a stop in the Hogsmeade station, we all flood out into the narrow corridor and get separated in the chaos that always ensues as hundreds of students attempt to get off the train at once. After yelling out that I'll see them at the feast, I let the crowd carry me forward to the carriages. I climb into the nearest empty carriage, and am soon joined by several someone's whom I would rather not sit with.
"Lilykins!" cries Sirius as he clambers into the small carriage, a characteristic grin morphing his handsome and otherwise intimidating face into one of a mischievous troublemaker.
"Can it Black," I state bluntly as he sits down, only half-joking. Delicately placing his hand over his heart, he snivels overdramatically and turns his head away from me, huffing. Although I usually don't care much for his and his mates' shenanigans, they can be quite funny, and I find myself fighting a grin, and instead turn my attention to the landscape outside the window.
Lost in thought
Another body enters the small space, and I smile at Peter Pettigrew as he awkwardly bites his lip and raises his hand in a half-wave. As he settles into his seat, Remus ducks in and takes a seat next to me.
"Fancy seeing you here Lily." He says with a nod. "It's almost like we're going to the same place", I reply, smirking, and bump my shoulder against his.
Although there is practically no room left in the carriage, another body, a particularly toned and lean one, appears in the small doorway. Potter glances around, and his eyes settle on me, and suddenly the indecipherable look is back in his alluring hazel eyes. Breaking eye contact, I fiddle with a section of my robe as he walks in, laughs at something Black says and takes the seat on my left. Not that it's really a seat, considering there is barely any room.
Remus and I shuffle along (but there's really nowhere to go), but I'm still too close to Potter for comfort. His long legs rest against my short, pale ones, and I am extremely grateful that they're only partially visible under my skirt.
On the short ride up to the castle, I find myself enjoying their company and even joke around with them, which is surprising, considering our rivalry since day one. Once we reached the castle, our stomachs were all grumbling loudly and I bid them farewell as I had to go find Mary and Marlene. I was glad I had such an eventful and amusing ride up, but also confused as to why Potter didn't attempt to ask me out. Perhaps he's changed insisted a small voice in my head. Not a chance said a larger part though, and I sided with the latter.
"Lily!" I hear, and am startled – and admittedly angry – to note that the voice belongs to Severus Snape, my previous best friend of seven years. My blood boils as he winds his way through the crowd to reach me, still calling my name to get my attention.
Pretending I hadn't seen him, I throw myself into the throng of students heading to the Great Hall for the welcoming feast, not glancing behind me to see whether he followed me or not. Now significantly grumpier, – which is odd, as Severus used to be a source of my happiness and the Marauders' a source of my anger, (how backwards it was now) – I didn't notice that the person in front of me had stopped walking and I slammed into them.
Staggering back a step, a string of apologies is flying out of my mouth before they have even turned around. Much to my dismay, they do turn around, perfectly straight blond hair whipping me in the face as the girl in question glares down at me.
I recognized her instantly; Vanessa Jennings, a fifth year Gryffindor, who just so happens to be one of the prettiest and most infamous girl in the school. "Watch yourself Ginger", she spits, smirking cruelly and whirling back around, striding forward. Rolling my eyes and biting my tongue to stop myself from unleashing my temper on her, I spot Mary and Marlene only several metres in front and to the left of me, so I push through the crowd to reach them.
Upon catching up to them, I tell them of my encounters with the Marauders, Severus and Vanessa, and by the time I've finished we're entering the Hall, and I'm being waved over by Alice and Frank. Dragging Mary and Mar over, we grab three seats across the table from them and talk about our summers until we are silenced when Dumbledore begins his usual speech.
"Welcome back students and professors to another year at Hogwarts. I am pleased to announce that this year we have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Crawford." A smattering of applause follows this announcement, and as over the last six years he is my sixth DADA professor, I don't expect him to last.
I tune out after that, as it is always the same warnings about not going into the Forbidden Forest (hence the name) and a lengthy list of all the items that Argus Filch has banned (so anything fun, really). Once Dumbledore resumes his seat, Professor McGonagall walks out from a side room clutching a stool with the Sorting Hat resting on it, a horde of nervous first years in tow.
Without preamble, she begins listing off names, and slowly the group dwindles until there is few left. After Samantha Wilkinson gets sorted into Hufflepuff, trays upon trays of delicious food appear on the four narrow tables, and everyone digs in, eager to eat. Goblets of every beverage imaginable fill themselves up right before my eyes, and I keenly begin feasting.
I spend the next hour or so chatting with Alice, Frank, Mary and Marlene, and we completely lose track of time, because all too quickly we have to lead the first years to the common room, which means making the exhausting trek up seven flights of stairs. Groaning, I push myself up from my seat, already regretting the absurd amount of delicacies I just devoured. Knowing that I was going to have a considerably bad belly ache within the hour, I tell Marlene and Mary that I'll be in the dormitory. They both say that they'll be along soon, and resume talking about the seventh year Ravenclaw that Mary is currently infatuated.
Frank and Alice offer to come with me, as it is part of their job requirements, but I tell them to say and relish in their last ever welcoming feast. Feeling nostalgic and sentimental, they hang around and reminisce on their previous years at Hogwarts, and I leave them to it.
"Gryffindor first years, this way!" I call down the length of the table, and I make my way into the Entrance Hall, a gaggle of eager eleven-year-olds close on my heels. I pay little attention to the excited chatter of the newly admitted Gryffindor's, but do smile slightly when I hear them comparing what they imagine the common room will look like.
The trek up the seven flights of stairs has the whole lot of them puffing and panting (and myself too, but I wouldn't be caught dead admitting it), but thankfully no one damaged as I warned them of the trick stair, and we were able to avoid any mishaps. Approaching the portrait of the Fat Lady, the guardian of the Gryffindor common room, I hear more than one exclamation of confusion.
"Alohomora" I say loudly, in the hopes that the herd of preteens behind me hear clearly. The portrait swings open and stepping through the hole and into the large, circular room, I inhale deeply, and am bombarded with the familiar flutter in my stomach when the full sense of being home hits me.
Walking up the stairs, I find myself anticipating a bit of peace and quiet, but am sorely disappointed when I hear humming coming from within my dorm. Sighing deeply, I push the door open and barely refrain from glaring at the blonde inside. Not that she would have noticed anyway.
"Hey Han" I say non-committedly as I maneuver my way away around clothes (that belong to Hanna) that are strewn haphazardly across the carpet. Hanna tears her attention away from the latest copy of Witch Weekly and smiles at me.
"Hey Lil!" she replies enthusiastically, glancing up from the glossy pages of the magazine. "Have a good summer did you?" I ask, taking note of how bronze she is.
"Oh Lily it was fantastic!" she exclaims, smiling fondly at the memory. "Beach all day, blokes all night", she continues, somehow finding a way to sound both dreamy and suggestive. I attempt to smile at her (although it's really more of a grimace), but she's already turned her attention back to the magazine.
And that's it. Nothing more. She doesn't bother asking me if I had a nice summer, but I wasn't expecting her to. Rolling my eyes, I begin to unpack my trunk and set up my bed. After approximately ten minutes of "Merlin Alesha Springsteen is getting heavy" and "aww Simon McCall and Renaye Hart think they'll last", I am spared more torturous commentary as Marlene, Mary and Shelby Fitzpatrick enter the room.
As everyone else prepares their bed and unpacks their trunk, I duck into the washroom to clean up. Twenty minutes and a steaming shower later, I leave the small bathroom dressed in my cotton pajama shorts and singlet and tie my hair into two sloppy braids. Murmuring my goodnights to my door mates, I draw my scarlet hangings and attempt to sleep.
After an hour or so of relentless tossing and turning, I finally resign myself to the fact that sleep will not come for a while – if that even – and grab my book from my bedside table and silently tiptoe to the window seat. Bathed in moonlight (I absent-mindedly note that the moon is almost full), I crack open my book and have barely read a paragraph when I hear curtains being open. I glance up and am met with Hanna's perfectly plucked eyebrows climbing up her forehead as she scrutinizes me.
Smiling cryptically at me, she places her index finger against her lips and quickly leaves the room. Probably late for a secret rendezvous with some desperate bloke I think to myself, as that is typical Hanna Stevenson behaviour. After rooming with her for as many years as I have, you get used to her antics. My book now long forgotten, I rather turn toward the window and get lost in my thoughts.
A.N. Aaaand there's chapter one folks. Thanks for reading this far (isn't really that far but ah well).
I send my love and donuts dears!
-Paige