Ch.2

The Beginning of the End

Let's rearrange


I wish you were a stranger

I could disengage


Say that we agree

And then never change


Soften a bit until

We all just get along


But that's disregard


Find another friend

And you discard

-The Fray: Over My Head (Cable Car)

Prologue

She stood by a window in the Gryffindor Tower, watching the last few rays of sun streaming down the hills. It was all over. Seven years of magical bliss; this was the end. She sighed and looked back at her fellow classmates, eagerly talking about their futures, and doing some last-minute packing. She will have to join them soon, but not now. Now was the time to think…about her choice.

She felt as if her choice was already made for her ever since her first day at Hogwarts. Fate had already planned her path, and no matter how much she might have struggled throughout her years to deny that path, it eventually caught up to her at the end. And this…was the end.

No, she already knew her choice. And though it pained her, she knew it was the right one. But right…does not mean easy.

It's not as if she wasn't happy with her choice. She knew it would bring her much joy the years to come.

What pained her was the suffering that would come.

She didn't want to choose.

But they forced her.

She was happy with not choosing.

But she had no choice.

Her last year was supposed to be peaceful. It was supposed to be the best year ever.

But she never saw it coming.

Why? She wondered to herself. What was the cause for all that drama?

Because he changed.

The Hogwarts Express whistled and steam billowed out, signaling that it was time to leave.

"Lily!" the petite lady holding a small tabby called out frantically. "You forgot Sparkles!"

A young woman with dark auburn hair and deep green eyes appeared in the window. "Sparkles!" She reached out and grabbed the cat, then blew a kiss to the lady. "Thanks so much, mum! I'll see you at Christmas!"

"Lily, dear, don't forget to write!" Mrs. Evans reminded her daughter.

"Of course!" Lily reassured her. "I'll borrow Alice's owl. Give daddy my love!"

Lily waved to her mom. When she vanished from sight, Lily sat back in her seat-and then leapt right up.

"Merlin's pants!" Lily exclaimed in shock, looking down at the rumpled owl she almost sat on.

"Oh my," a concerned voice said in the doorway. Alice Kinkle hurried into the compartment and rescued her poor owl.

"Alice, I'm so-" Lily tried to apologize.

"Don't worry about it," Alice smiled. "Seeing how I always step on little Sparkle's tail."

"True…" Lily smiled as well. "Come sit!" she patted the seat across form her.

Alice sighed wistfully, looking out the window. "It's our last year."

"Yeah," Lily stroked Sparkles. "And it will be the best!"

"You think?" Alice asked, turning back to Lily.

"Definitely!" Lily assured her. "We're seventh-years. How awesome it that?"

"Well, we you put it that way," Alice grinned. "How was your summer?"

"It was great to see mum and dad again, but Tuney…" Lily grimaced and was about to continue when Alice interrupted her.

"Oh!" She exclaimed, pointing to Lily's robes. "Is that-?"

Lily beamed at her.

"Oh it is!" Alice clapped her hands together. "I knew it! Lils, I'm so proud of you!"

Lily fondly patted her Head Girl badge. "It came with my Hogwarts letter. Mum and dad were so please. But Tuney didn't say anything about it. "Lily wrinkled her nose. "Oh well."

"Ignore your sister," Alice advised her. "So, who do you think is Head Boy?"

"Oh it would love it if it was another Gryffindor!" Lily replied. "But I bet it's that Hufflepuff, Chandler Macmillan, he seems like head Boy material."

"Well, no matter who it is, you'll find out soon at the meeting!"

Lily jumped up. "Speaking of which, I completely forgot! I'll see you later."

Alice smiled to herself when Lily left. Oh, she already knew who the Head Boy was. Frank told her two weeks ago. It would be fun to see Lily's reaction.

"So sorry I'm late! It completely slipped my mind!" Lily gasped for air and she entered the compartment. The prefects said nothing but looked apprehensive as they stared from Lily to the Head Boy.

"Well, what do you know? The new Head girl is late. Tsk, tsk," James Potter grinned at her.

"Potter!" Lily's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here? This is for Heads and prefects only! And seeing how you are neither…" Lily said, rather nastily.

James just kept grinning as he tapped his Head Boy badge with his wand.

Lily frowned. "Who did you steal that from?"

"What are you talking about? It's mine!" the grin slipped off James's face as he replied, confused.

Lily snorted. "Seriously, did you take that away from Remus?"

James stared at her blankly.

"Ohhhh…" She bit her lip. "…Peter?"

James raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I didn't think so," Lily shook her head. "He's a nice guy but…" a look of horror crossed her face. "It's not…Black…is….it?" her voiced trailed off.

James sighed in exasperation and Lily breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well who is it then?" Lily was starting to get annoyed.

"Me." He said simply.

Lily's voice shook. "b-but, that's not… p-possible…" She stammered out, her heart pounding.

James looked at her amusedly, "Use your words, my dear."

"So you're the new Head Boy?" Lily said, quite calmly.

"Yes."

"Positive?"

"As positive as Padfoot's girlfriend's pregnancy test."

"No doubt?"

"Isn't that a Muggle band?"

"You sure?"

"As sure as your hair's red."

Lily shut her mouth as her face began to match her hair. The prefects looked at each other nervously and one even ran out of the room. Smart guy.

James pulled out a pair of earplugs and popped them in his ears, without Lily noticing, then leaned back in his seat.

Then she blew.

Alice turned a page in her copy of Witch Weekly. She was just about to read an article called "How to Score with Wizards" when she heard an almost inhuman screech followed by loud rumblings that would only be Lily's anger.

She smiled to herself. Ah, she found out. Then she continued reading as though nothing happened.

The other inhabitants of the Hogwarts Express heard it as well. They, like Alice, had gotten so used to it (Except for the first-years, they were new to it) and continued doing whatever they had been dong.

Lily eventually stormed out of the Prefects Compartment without even assigning jobs to the new prefects with James following her. The prefects breathed a sigh of relief when they left and the ones that had been crying eventually calmed down.

Lily kept walking, fully aware of James following her every move.

When she felt a tiny tap on her shoulder, she twirled around and snarled, "WHAT DO YOU WANT, YOU GIT?"

The first-year, whom she had mistaken for Potter, trembled at the sight of the raging woman and promptly burst into tears.

"I-I, just wanted to know where the loo was," the little boy mumbled through his tears.

Lily felt ashamed of herself. "Aw, sweetie. I thought you were someone else. I'm terribly sorry. The loo's off to the right, over there. Here. Have a Chocolate Frog." She handed over the sweet and the first-year took it gratefully before running off.

Lily leaned back against a wall and twirled her auburn hair absent-mindly. She didn't know how much longer she could stand Potter.

She closed her eyes but opened them again when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Lily looked up, and then frowned.

"Severus." She said flatly. "I thought I told you never to talk to me again."

He looked down, a sad expression on his lined face.

"I need to talk to you."

Lily's face softened as she looked at the forlorn figure. "Alright. Let's go find an empty compartment."

She walked off and Snape followed her, and unmistakable expression of desire on his face.