Sorry for the wait! The bit in italics about charms - 'extract' from Lily's charm's essay - is taken directly from Harry Potter Wiki. I don't own it, just like I don't the rest of the characters, Hogwart's, magic in general or anything that you recognize. It's all the wonderful JK Rowling's!
I realize that nothing's as it seems
I dream of rain
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I wake in pain
Sting, Desert Rose
Lily stirred her tea absently, mind still on that pesky Charms essay. She was worried she'd made a mistake by saying she could still do the work without going to the lessons, so she'd have time to teach dance. After all, her grades were much more important than dancing! Dancing wasn't going to affect the rest of her life now, was it? But her grades would. How would she ever get anywhere in life if she got bad NEWTs?
With a glare at the spoon, as though it was the cause of all her problems, Lily brought the mug to her lips and took a huge, noisy slurp. Then she laughed at her childishness, worries momentarily forgotten, and decided she really should do more on her Charms essay. After all, she had to Floo to London to be measured for her dresses today. She'd already cleared it with Professor McGonagall, and she'd warned James so he knew where she'd be. He'd probably forget, though. Maybe she'd leave him a note, like the ones he left for her.
With a huff, Lily returned her attentions to the charms essay.
Really, though, she wanted to have it done before she went to be measured. After all, she wasn't sure how long it would take to be measured... she needed two dresses, not just one, and since James had insisted... well, she'd be having one custom made. Exactly as she wanted it. Something not even her mother had done for her before. Although, such things were more common in the Wizarding World than the muggle one, seeing as it was easier to do just about everything with a wand.
She wondered what her mother would have said about this.
"Oh, Lily! Such a good catch, darling! Fancy – buying you a custom made dress, to go to a ball when you're not even his date! He must like you a lot, Flower. Now, remember what I've told you about young men these days. They all want to try before they buy. Don't you go doing anything until you have a huge expensive rock on your finger, you hear me young lady? I won't have you being used and then thrown away. You're far too special for that, Lily. If you need any tips, you know you can always ask me... although Petunia's quite the accomplished flirt these days too."
A slight giggle escaped her lips. Her father, on the other hand, wouldn't have been so... well, so like her mother.
"Wow, a ball, Lils? Haven't you already got a ball to go to; that one you've been organizing? Getting a bit greedy in your old age, hmm? Aw, I'm only messing with you, Lils. Hold on... did you just say a boy is buying you a dress? Why would he need to do that? Have I not given you enough money?... sunshine, if you're short of money you know you can just ask me... what do you mean he's doing it to be nice? Well I... well... what can I say to that?"
Then he would have probably laughed that rumbling laugh, making his eyes sparkle and showing his slightly uneven teeth. He'd have grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into his lap where he sat on his leather office chair; desk in front of him layered with confusing equations and scribbled ideas. He'd have winked at her and whispered, as if Petunia might have been able to hear.
"Of course, Petunia's boys don't buy her dresses, do they? One up on your sister there, I'd say Lils. Good going. Soon we'll have them back under control and in their box!"
And Lily would have laughed hysterically, even though it wouldn't have been that funny, simply because her father would have been there, smelling faintly of the Financial Times and perhaps a cigar he'd have snook when her mother wasn't watching. He'd have been there, with a few streaks of grey at his temples, the only indication his hair wasn't Lily's hair. He'd have been there with his shiny black shoes and absentminded humour. He'd have been there, fighting against the suffocating normality of her mother and sister.
But he wasn't there, was he? Not anymore.
Lily yanked angrily at her hair, twiddling it more brutally than usual. At least that way she'd have an excuse for the tears in her eyes. With a snarl that could have been taken as a broken sob, Lily returned her attentions once again to her Charms essay. She'd finish the damned thing if it killed her.
Acharmis a type of enchantment that causes an object to behave in a way that is not otherwise normal for that object. A "charm" is a rather arbitrary designation for spells that are not classified asTransfiguration(spells that change the inherent nature of an object). For example, theColour Change Charm causes something to flash different colours; the Levitation orHover Charmcauses an object to levitate; the Cheering Charm improves upon a creature's mood. An object that has a lasting charm placed on it is calledbewitched.
Lily scowled at the clock. Really, was it going slow to irritate her or was that actually the time?
Her mother had a beautiful, ornate clock that had been one of her favourite things in the house. It had lived on the mantle-piece in the dining room, pride of place for everyone to gaze at and compliment. They'd bought it in France one time on holiday, paid an extortionate price for it and brought it home wrapped in her father's woolly socks. What he'd wanted woolly socks in Southern France for, Lily would never know. It was gold and blue, in a sort of box with a domed lid, a little gold cherub posed on the top.
A Charm might cause something to flash different colours. It might cause an object to levitate or even fly through the air. Charms can make a person laugh or dance or even create a bubble of breathable air around a person's head. In all of these cases, the object or the person doesn't really change, they just do something unexpected.
One time, Petunia had knocked the clock over. She'd blamed it on Lily, but no one had believed Petunia. After all, Lily had been at school in Scotland at the time. Petunia had said Lily had done it by magic, to spite their mother. Except Lily had no motive and no way of achieving such a thing. In the end, Lily's father had sent it by owl post to Hogwart's, and Lily had spent an entire term in her fifth year fixing it, before taking it home with her on the train.
That had been the turning point, Lily mused, with her relationship with Petunia. After that incident, Lily had become the brilliant one, the wonderful, clever one. The One Who Had Fixed The Clock. As if she'd somehow done the impossible.
Some Charms can be extremely powerful. The Fidelius Charm, for example, can completely hide a person or a place in such a way that no one can find them unless they are given the location by a Secret Keeper. Memory Charms can be so strong that they completely remove a person's memory or even damage his or her mind permanently.
"You're late!" The clock chimed, making Lily jump and sending ink splats all across her essay. Growling, Lily slammed the quill down and grabbed her outer robes, shoving her shoes on as she went. As a last minute thought, she picked the quill back up and grabbed a shred of parchment
Hey,
I've gone to be measured for my dresses. I'll be back for our lesson with the Seventh years – wouldn't want to miss something that promises to be so amusing. Watching our classmates blunder around the room as they try (and fail) to dance...
Sorry about that little Slytherin moment there
Anyway, see you later
Lily
Frowning at the lack of wit contained in her note, seeing how pointlessly humorous James's usually were, Lily set it down next to her half drunk, and now cold mug of tea. Then she grabbed a pinch of Floo powder, thanked her lucky stars that the Head's were allowed the freedom of their own Floo connection, and called out
"Madam Malkin's!"
Lily stepped daintily out into the empty shop, glanced around until her eyes fell on the young woman at the counter
"Oh, hi! You must be Lily Evans?" The girl asked "I'm Ethel Malkin. You're booked in for a measurement for the kingfisher blue dress, and a design session?"
Lily nodded, biting her lip a little in excitement.
"Alrighty then, hop up here..." Ethel said, pointing to the stand. Once Lily was in position, Ethel flicked her wrist, sending a tape measure flying off the desk in the corner to measure her while Ethel hurried into the back, returning with various swathes of kingfisher blue fabric floating behind her
"Hmm." Ethel said, as though feeling the need to fill the silence "Alright, that's your measurements done. I think... Yes, hold still a moment..."
Lily yelped as, for a mere second, cold wind blew on her bare skin
"Oh I'm so sorry!" Ethel cried, blushing bright red as her spell went wrong. Fortunately, Ethel got it right the second time and Lily was dressed in blue satin.
Ethel frowned a little "Hmm... that neckline is wrong. Here, try this one on..."
Lily tensed as Ethel waved her wand again, but this time the spell worked fine and Lily was dressed in a slightly different variation of the blue dress, this one with a square neckline
"Much better." Ethel said, sounding proud of herself "Here, have a look at yourself."
Lily turned and looked in the large mirror. The girl who looked back looked like a princess from days gone by when knights in shining armour would have been there to fight the darkness away. It was exactly what she wanted – feminine and pretty and yet striking and bold.
"Perfect." Lily breathed with a smile "I'll take it."
"Oh good." Ethel said "Because designing a dress usually takes ages, so at least if you're happy with that one then we're half way there."
And take ages it did. Lily had never seen so many fabrics, so many different colours... really, how many different shades of cream were there? And yet, some of them made her look red in the face, some made her look pasty and insipid, while a select few made her glow like a porcelain doll. Not the look Lily usually went for, but as James had said, his parents were traditional. They liked a girl to look, well, girly.
Then there was the length, then the cut, then the back, then the neckline, the sleeves, the underskirts, the bodice and then the waist... then any adornments, decorations, patterns, did she want flowers, did she want swirls, did she want a ribbon or maybe a bow or perhaps even a heart.
Well, Lily didn't know the answer to any of these questions.
Almost three hours later, Lily stood once more in front of the mirror, mouth hanging inelegantly open. If this dress didn't blow James's parent's socks off, then they probably weren't wearing any.
"I... um... wow." Lily stuttered out inelegantly "Wow. Really, really wow."
Ethel grinned widely "Oh, do you think so? I... well, I've never done a self design one before for someone so unsure of what they wanted. Usually, when people come in wanting a dress designed, they already have a very firm idea of what they're after in their minds. Makes my job a lot easier in the designing phase, but then when I have to stand next to them when they look in the mirror... looking like an explosion in a flower factory or something... that's the difficult bit."
Lily grinned "Well I think you've done a brilliant job... oh Merlin is that the time? I've got to go! How much?"
Ethel bit her lip for a moment, eyes sweeping critically over Lily "You know, I really do like that dress. Say, if I could use that design in one of our ranges I could give you that dress at cost-only price."
"Really?" Lily asked with a grin "That'd be brilliant if you could. I'm happy for you to use it, after all you did most of the work!"
Ethel packed Lily's two new dresses, and Lily paid the price for her blue dress with her own money, and then parted with much-less-than-expected for her cream dress from James's money. At least she felt a little less guilty about that now she concluded as she Flooed back to Hogwart's.
"Hey Lily." James greeted, taking her parcels and tossing them onto the coffee table "Quick, get changed – we've got three minutes until our dance class starts."
It took Lily six minutes to change, meaning the two Heads had to run through the halls and arrived at the dance studio red-faced and panting. Their classmates were all milling around, and Lily and James's appearances caused quite a few raised eyebrows and snickers.
"Good day, Prongsie?" Sirius crowed, disentangling himself from a pretty Hufflepuff "Thought you didn't like him, Evans?"
Lily scowled. That was an awkward question if ever she'd seen one. After all, she did like James. He was her only friend, and that was a weird thought. But she didn't like, like him. Right? Wait, why was she even questioning it? She was probably just tired and stressed. And her mind was still... on her charms essay. Yes. Of course. Never mind the fact that she'd completely forgotten about it.
"Lils?" James muttered, nudging her "You've drifted off into Lily Land again."
Lily grinned sheepishly at him "Had a long day. Let's do our demo, and then we'll see how badly our classmates dance."
James nodded and shrugged his outer robes off, chucking them lazily onto the stage as Lily hurried over to the Wireless to choose a song
"Alright, shut up!" James called "If you lot would all sit at the edge... no you idiot, Sirius, that's the middle... okay, good. Now then, Lily and I will give you lot a quick demonstration and then you'll all be having a go. If you want to be thinking about whom you're going to ask to be your partner while Lily and I dance, then you'll save us a lot of time later on."
Lily stood patiently in the middle of the room, hair in a ponytail, feet in her trainers and wearing her shorts and tank top. She had to admire the way James could command the respect from their classmates. The way all of them did as he said and listened to him was really quite impressive, and something Lily most defiantly envied. Gently, she mentally reached out and gave James a bit of a prod through the link, telling him she was ready.
"Which song?" James asked, turning away from the class to look at Lily
Lily smiled sheepishly "The Irish one. I know we've done it four times before already, but I really like it."
James shook his head, a crooked grin sneaking over his face as he settled into their starting pose, and Lily set the music playing with a flick of her wrist.
As they span and twirled and danced and danced and danced, Lily couldn't help but feel a little melancholy. After all, the first time she'd danced with him to this, he'd relied on her almost completely to get all their moves right. Now though, their link sat in relative silence, Lily only helping him with the most difficult steps. It was like she was his stabilizers that he no longer needed on his bike. Like training a dog to walk to heel on a lead, and then knowing the dog would heel without the lead yet not wanting to remove the lead itself.
She should have known James would pick up on it. After all, the link was as open as it would go for their dancing. The only indication she had that he was going to do something about it was his lips twitching at the edge and his hazel eyes sparkling with mischief.
Then their dance, so well practiced in Lily's whimsical, gentle, floating style was overtaken by a much harsher, more powerful style that suited James so much more than Lily's dainty dances did. Lily's green eyes widened and her stomach gave a flip as her leading role was taken from her, forcing her to either be left behind or follow James. And Lily hated being left behind, so she didn't have much choice.
It was thrilling, Lily discovered, to be completely following someone else. To have no idea where you would be dancing next or what move you'd be doing to get there. On more than one occasion, Lily's eyes would widen and her stomach would whirl as James pulled her into a move she hadn't anticipated. He seemed very certain that he wouldn't be warning her through their link. The only thing Lily was getting from James via that was an overwhelming sense of mischievous glee.
As the song began to wind down for the end, James didn't seem to mourn its end as Lily would have done. Their dance didn't become haunting and sad, instead James slowed them to stay with the beat, but kept his style as it had been in the rest of the song. Lily wasn't sure she liked that – it conflicted with her disappointment that the song was almost over.
But that was the difference in their personalities, wasn't it? James saw things as three-quarters full and Lily saw things half empty. James would make things sound much better than they were, exaggerate and complicate things by being overzealous. Lily would be more sensible, but if push came to shove she'd always look on the bad side of things. It was, she knew, why she was having such difficulty getting over her parent's death.
Then, just when she wasn't expecting it the song ended, and she was shaken out of her thoughts by the sounds of enthusiastic clapping. Her eyes left James's to sweep over their classmates, blushing slightly at the amazed and awed faces.
"So, ready to have a go?" James asked them all with a huge grin
The lesson passed quickly, much faster than some of their earlier attempts, as Lily now knew how to teach people with no natural talent how to look alright when they danced. There were the odd people who surprised her – Remus had a very good sense of the music and its beat, and then there were those that came as no surprise – Frank couldn't dance to save his life. Perhaps, however, the time passed so fast because Lily was dreading the end of it. The end of it would be when she would dance with Sirius for the first time and it really, really needed to go well. In true Lily fashion, Lily had it set in her mind that the rest of James's life depended on it. In a way it did, but she should have known better that it didn't.
All too soon she was standing back in the middle of the room with her black-haired dance partner, but this time it was Sirius not James. It felt odd that she'd be dancing with Sirius when she could feel the other end of her link stood by the Wireless. Like living in one house all her life and then moving across the street, and getting lost on the journey home.
"Ready, Doll?" Sirius asked with a smirk
Lily grit her teeth
The music started, playing that waltz she'd first used with James to see how bad a dancer he was going to be. Sirius, on the other hand, had obviously already had formal dance lessons. Something he'd not admitted to, but for Lily it was clear to see anyway. He danced in a regimented, mechanical manner that held none of the flair and exuberant beauty she'd come to expect when dancing with James.
Lily supposed that for a normal girl, who'd never had any dance lessons, would have really enjoyed dancing with Sirius. He had a very 'I know what I'm doing so don't worry if you don't – I'll save you' sort of feel to him. It irritated Lily, stifling as it was for her, but one thought off that stuck up French girl who wanted a dress too big to fit down the aisle in a bloody Cathedral (for pity's sake!) had her pushing aside that annoyance.
"Bloody hell, woman! Stop trying to lead!" Sirius finally bit out
"Stop dancing like a puppet!"
"Puppet? Puppet? I'm a good dancer, thank you very much!"
"Yeah, you know where to put your feet, but are you even listening to the music?"
"Lily, Padfoot, give it a rest." James called "You're doing great; it looks good from here."
Both grumbling, Lily and Sirius once more lapsed into dancing in silence. Finally the song ended and Lily couldn't have been more grateful.
"That was terrible." She announced "Awful. We're going to have to dance a good hour or so a day to be anything like good for the Potter's ball."
Sirius set off laughing "Lily love, sweetheart, poppet, there is no way in hell you can make me dance an hour a day with you. With anyone, for that matter. Forget it."
Lily turned to James for support. He was running both hands through his hair in quick succession, making it stand up like a hedgehog.
"I, erm, well... you two were fine, you know. Lils you just have, ah, very high standards. Not that that's a bad thing, of course! But, well, we don't need you and Sirius to dance perfectly. Just well enough to look alright."
Lily scowled at him "James! 'Alright' isn't good enough!"
James shrugged with a little smile "Think how much better we'll look dancing together than you and Sirius will. It'll be an even bigger contrast, won't it?"
Lily's eyebrows raised a little, and Sirius snickered
"What?" Lily snapped "What's funny now?"
"Y-your e-eyebrows." Sirius chocked out through his laughter "We'll have to get them fixed before the ball, else I won't be able to keep a straight face."
Lily barely refrained from telling him that she would make him keep a straight face, and that he'd regret it dearly if he didn't.
Lily stood in the living area, mug in one hand and twirling her hair with the other hand, gazing out over the snow-covered landscape. A smile came to her face as she remembered that morning spent playing in it with James, and then a blush warmed her cheeks as she recalled her little episode of verbal diarrhoea when she'd told him her little fantasy about her first kiss. He'd not mentioned it since, a fact Lily was eternally grateful for.
The school Yule Ball was close now, only four days away. The head's tower was full of all the decorations that would be put up, and it was irritating Lily's OCD tendencies. No matter how tidy everywhere else was, the place still looked messy thanks to the piles and piles of tinsel and wreaths and the mountain of mistletoe that would be hung up and enchanted to never leave the person it was hanging over until they were kissed. James assured her he knew a failsafe charm that would do the job nicely, but then denied knowing it at all when she asked him why he knew such a thing.
She was so proud of her dance students. They'd all come so far in the short time they'd been having lessons. Most of all though, she was proud of the amazing difference in James's dancing. To think he'd had three left feet and probably four left hands the first time she'd danced with him, and now... well, she'd never danced with someone better.
And Lily didn't give praise like that easily.
A knock on the door startled her, and Lily set her mug down, disentangled her hair from her hands and tiptoed around all the decorations to the door
"Professor McGonagall! Please do come in, mind the decorations. I'm afraid there wasn't anywhere else to put them until the Ball. Here, have a seat. Tea, coffee?" Lily offered, leading the unexpected guest around the decorations and into the kitchen.
Professor McGonagall settled on the chair, resting her hands on the wooden table as Lily bustled around pouring them both a mug of tea and finding the pastries out of the cupboard that James had given her that day and she'd been unable to eat. She'd put a stasis charm on them instead, and they were coming in useful now. She'd have to thank him later.
"So, how can I help you, Professor? I'm afraid James is out playing quidditch with the boys..." Lily paused and tutted, glancing out at the freezing weather although a small smile curved her lips "Can't say I approve, but he does enjoy it."
McGonagall gave an amused smile that's significance was completely lost on Lily "That's quite alright, Lily. I was only looking for you, really. In fact, well, I just wanted to tell you how proud I am to have you in my house."
Lily's eyebrows rose, before she forced them down again lest McGonagall notice how badly plucked they were "I, well, thank you Professor, but really the pleasure is all mine."
McGonagall waved her off "Well, I just thought I ought to mention it. I know how hard you must be finding it, after... after the tragic death of your parents, and yet you are still here, setting an example to the students and filling this school with laughter. I am most impressed, I must say, with this dance competition. There have been a surprising number of entries with cross-house pairs, which is something not even Albus had expected, although I'm sure he hoped."
Lily grinned widely "Really? I've not seen the entries – James has been sorting them. That's brilliant news! I wonder why he didn't mention it to me. Actually he probably didn't notice."
McGonagall smiled into her tea
"Anyway, are you sure there is nothing you need, Professor? It doesn't seem like you to just hand out compliments like this." Lily said, before blushing lightly "I'm not trying to be rude, Professor, but..."
McGonagall accepted the apology, although had Lily knew she would have been in trouble for that on a different day
"Honestly, Miss Evans, I simply came here for no other reason other than the one I have already stated."
Lily wondered why she must use such convoluted phrases. Perhaps she was... no. This was McGonagall. She couldn't be embarrassed. "Oh, well then. Thank you, Professor. I wouldn't be the person I am today without your help."
Nothing more really needed to be said, and the two women sat drinking their tea and eating their pastries in relatively pleasant if a little awkward small talk about Lily's plans for the future, the upcoming election and what they wanted for Christmas.
After that, Lily decided perhaps she owed Professor Slughorn a visit as well. After all, just as she'd thanked Professor McGonagall, Professor Slughorn also deserved a bit of gratitude. And she could take him her and James's essays on the Elixir of Strength as well. She could even take him his Christmas present, because he usually spent Christmas away from the Castle what with his various parties hosted by the numerous rich and famous students he'd accumulated over the years.
Professor Slughorn was in a very jovial mood, complimenting Lily on her impressive dance competition and beautiful (or at least will be beautiful) ball. Finally Lily cut him off, a frown on her face and hand twiddling her hair a little.
"Professor... what do you know about arranged marriages?"
" And then he was telling me about his brilliant career in Pumpkin Growing... what did you say, Lily?"
Lily suppressed a grin as she shifted in her emerald green chair "Well, I just asked you about arranged marriages. Are they common in the wizarding world?"
Slughorn pulled his glasses down his nose to peer at his student "Why on earth would you want to know?"
"Erm..." Lily stuttered, blushing "Well, you see, well..."
Slughorn chuckled "Oh it's alright, Lily. I see that you don't want to tell me. Contrary to popular opinion I was once a young lad, courting all the pretty ladies!"
Lily stifled a snort
"Yes, I was quite the ladies man, you know! Still cut quite a dashing figure even now, though I do say so myself!"
A cough from Lily disguised her hysterical laughter
"Anyway, arranged marriage, hmm? Well, it's fairly normal practice. Most purebloods are encouraged to find a match, so to speak, in their own circles, but if one isn't found before the child is sixteen then the family will generally arrange a match for them. Often enough girls have no choice in this – they are more the item for sale than the purchaser. Perhaps not the way it should be, but tradition is tradition. It has been that way since the Founder's time. That's why Rowena Ravenclaw became friends with Helga Hufflepuff – Rowena ran away from an arranged marriage and stayed with Helga, a lowly maid."
Lily looked up in surprise. She'd never even wondered how the founders had become friends. They were such a constant that Lily had just naively assumed they'd always been friends, or something.
"So, then, running away from an arranged marriage isn't uncommon?"
Slughorn peered at her closely, before seemingly shaking off whatever worries he had "Well, yes and no. Often if one runs away from an arranged marriage it is hushed up by the family, that member removed carefully from memory, both living and documented. The ultimate punishment for a pureblood is, of course, being disowned. Running away from a marriage that the Head of Family will have undoubtedly spent hours arranging is the ultimate treachery, and therefore rewarded with the ultimate punishment."
Lily felt a little sick. So what she, Sirius and James were planning would result in him being disowned? Something that sounded like a very big deal for a pureblood? Was she doing the right thing, helping James do something that he'd regret later in life, when he wasn't a Potter anymore?
"T-thanks, Professor. You've been a huge help. I've erm, got to go and... send a letter to the band that's playing at the ball. You don't mind me cutting this short, do you?"
Slughorn shook his head, lips twitching as though restraining a smile "Of course not. Thank you for my Christmas present – if it's anything like that fish you gave me last year I'm certain I shall be very impressed. And say thank you to James for me; that essay of his looks almost as good as some of yours!"
Lily gave a gasp of mock outrage "Professor! Are you saying that my work isn't up to standard?"
Slughorn chuckled "Now, now Lily. Don't let that infamous temper get away with you."
With a laugh and a 'Merry Christmas' Lily left his office, walking calmly until she was around the corner before breaking into a dead sprint, heading for the quidditch pitch. Had she been able to see Professor Slughorn, sat in his office after she'd left, she would have been highly surprised.
"It was for the best." She would have heard him mutter "It was the right thing to do."
Then she would have seen him sigh deeply and struggle to his feet, chin wobbling forlornly as he made his way over to the fish Lily had charmed the year before. And Lily would have been amazed to watch as Slughorn frowned guiltily at it, as though expecting it to know he'd done something wrong, before taking a neat, letter-sized piece of parchment and a quill, dipping it into the ink before setting on the paper to write. Had Lily peered over his shoulder, perhaps she would have read what he was writing with increasing astonishment
My dear friend Charlus,
I have done as you asked. I am not sure it was the right thing, but it is done anyway...
By then, Lily's conscience would have caught up and urged her to turn away.
But Lily didn't see any of that. She was running to the quidditch pitch, past Hagrid's hut, past the Whomping Willow... when she stopped, panting for breath and wondering if she was doing the right thing. She stood there, surrounded by the snow-covered grounds and the faint yells and cheers from the quidditch practice, thinking about what she'd been told. She knew James, loathed though she might have been to admit such a thing only a few months ago, and she knew James wouldn't think of the consequences, even if she told him of them. If she marched up to him and told him she wouldn't help him because it would mean he would be cast out of his family he would laugh and ruffle his hair in that cocky manner of his.
"You worry too much, Lils. It's fine. I don't want to be a Potter anyway if that means marrying someone I hate."
That's what he'd say. And she couldn't let him throw his life away like that. Of course Lily didn't buy into all the pureblood propaganda – she was a muggleborn, but she wasn't stupid. She knew how much weight a pureblood name had in their culture. She couldn't let him throw that away. She wouldn't.
So, with a heavy heart, Lily turned and trudged back up the path, nose red with the cold and eyes red with... hay-fever, perhaps.
Love a review, if you had a moment to spare!