A/N: I APOLOGIZE SO MUCH FOR BEING SO LATE ON UPDATING THIS!
Firstly, there was Deathly Hallows reading online for that newspaper (I did find the actual thing.. imagine my surprise), then the actual Deathly Hallows, and a little bit to recuperate. There were new things we learned that I had to somehow incorporate into my story, so I was able to do that the best I could. I don't think you'd be able to tell what they are, anyways, but in case you want to be safe don't read until you're done. But I can't imagine why you'd want to read fanfiction when you haven't finished what Jo's written!
So, anyways, I hope you enjoy this. Up until now the story has been kind of dull- but after this chapter I promise you it gets loads better. Enjoy!
Lily sighed, scratching her quill against her exam. A dark lock of her red hair fell over her shoulders but she pushed it aside; annoyed that it might come between her and an Outstanding on the charms exam. When she was done, she dropped her quill loudly, trying to get everyone to notice that intelligent Lily Evans was done first. She glanced around the room. Of course, stupid James Potter was still scribbling- yet little did she know he was doodling her very own initials. And Alice seemed to be drooling in back of Sirius who wasn't paying any attention; they had broken up for the millionth time a few hours previously.
At last Flitwick collected the tests and Lily raced off outside. She had spent the whole of her days now with Frank, Bridget, and Severus Snape- a Slytherin boy she made an excuse to talk to every so often. He wasn't that bad- just mistreated. And he had never done anything bad to her, anyways.
Oh, how things were about to change.
She met up with Bridget first, who had been by the lake. Bridget turned around, smiling.
"Lily," Bridget stated evenly, "how were your exams? I couldn't get the werewolf question quite right. But I think I remember Xenophilius saying something about a Nargle always present near one, so I wrote that down."
Lily laughed; of course, if Bridget wanted to take information from loony Xeno Lovegood, she might as well be mad. But she would never tell her friend that.
"I suppose it could be true," she answered, thinking the very opposite. "Either way, just say a Wracksput got you. Flitwick will have to let you pass if you say that." Lily was giggling on the inside- Bridget often came up with rather intricate reasons as to why something happened; and she loved to play along in the game.
"I suppose," Bridget sighed. Then she looked up.
"Isn't that your friend, Severus?" she asked incredulously. "Over there by Potter and his gang?"
Lily whipped around. Sure enough; there was Severus, along with Potter. Along with Sirius and Remus and Peter. She growled, racing towards them, while Bridget tagged with her.
"Leave him ALONE!" Lily yelped, trying to think of a way to curse Potter into oblivion. She loathed him. Did he think that by torturing her friends he would somehow manage to make her fall in love with her? After a failed attempt to ask her out, Potter finally gave up, and released Snape. Only as Lily was about to walk away; she heard a word from Snape's mouth that she could have never thought her friend was saying.
"Mudblood."
Lily's jaw dropped. She scampered away in tears; with only Bridget to console her.
Two friends down. Two friends she'd lost this year; her best friend and her only Slytherin friend. She tried to wipe away the tears so that Bridget wouldn't see, but Bridget was in her face.
"Here, have some chocolate," Bridget offered, handing Lily some fine Honeyduke's. "It'll make you feel better."
Lily bit into it. The chocolate did taste rather good; and it made her feel better. When she was done she licked her fingers, and noticed that she was content with the world. "Thanks," she hissed at Bridget, who meekly smiled, returning an "anytime."
Two friends down and one of the parental unit, Lily felt more alone than she ever had. Even Hogwarts seemed to have lost its magic. After O.W.L.s were completed, the teachers only gave them tedious work, and often had free periods in which to "relax." But Lily never felt more relaxed than doing her homework by the common room fire, which was obviously not available to her now.
Mum wrote constantly; talking about Petunia and Vernon often. They were engaged, wasn't that sweet, and shouldn't Lily congratulate her sister? But underneath her mum's reporting of the news she sensed that something was wrong with her; something that couldn't be penned in paper.
By the time summer had strolled around, she and Alice were still not on speaking terms.
Lily boarded the Hogwarts Express to leave for home- this time alone, thank you very much. She entered an empty compartment with Bridget and Frank, who had found it comfortable to sprawl across the seats. Lily rested her head against the window; longing for a nice, smooth ride in which she could sleep.
The door burst open. Lily glanced at the newcomer. Of course. She sighed.
"What do you want, Potter?" Lily sneered, staring James directly in the face. However, instead of his usual pompous attitude, she noticed he flushed red, rather embarrassed.
"I- er," he stuttered, "I kind of got kicked out of my compartment."
Lily held back a giggle.
"Your little marauders too good for Quidditch hero James Potter? Everyone never did think Peter was in your league," she shot back slyly, leaving Bridget to giggle softly. But Potter did not look amused.
"As a matter of fact, compartments seat four, or at least the one we're in," he snapped, "so that meant one of us had to get out. And since Sirius wouldn't do with Alice, they sent me." He frowned, but Lily motioned him over to the seat next to Frank anyways.
"It's either here or the loo, isn't it?" she asked. James nodded.
The ride was very quiet from that moment on. Bridget tried to bring up some odd theories of Xeno Lovegood's, but they didn't entertain anyone. James ruffled with his messy hair every two or three minutes, when finally Lily looked up from gazing out the window and glowered at him.
"Sirius really likes her, doesn't he?" she asked sadly. Potter nodded, leaving Frank quite distressed.
"Whenever they break up that big old dog cries for hours, and pretends like nothing happened," he admitted. "But I sympathize. I know what it's like to fall for someone completely, and have them break your heart every so often."
Frank only smiled; obviously he knew this feeling, too, but was too sheepish to say anything.
"And I know what it's like to have a complete git ask me out every two seconds," Lily snapped back. Bridget managed a smile.
"I know what a Wrackspurt would say to a Nargle on Valentine's Day," Bridget threw into the conversation, "it's a very funny joke." Either people didn't hear the comment or they just didn't care; because no one responded what so ever.
James dug through his bag, throwing a neat Daily Prophet in the middle. He looked smug as everyone else picked it up, Bridget first, to see the title.
"'The Dark Lord Continues to Rise,'" Bridget read aloud, "you know, Xeno reckons that all this 'Dark Lord' business is really to cover up for any problem the Ministry is facing. I bet it's something with them. Did you know that Fudge…"
"Wait, do you mean Voldemort?" Lily interrupted, grabbing the paper from Bridget. She scanned the entire article and glared at James.
"So, your lot is staying with me again for vacation, is it?" she said madly. James nodded.
"Mum is on duty. It wasn't that bad last time, you know," he forced her to admit. "And I hope you don't mind if Sirius comes. I thought you wouldn't be able to stand me alone." James smiled his Quidditch hero smile, and Lily almost felt an urge to kiss that rodent's lips. Almost.
"Fine, Frank, Bridget, you guys are invited too, then," Lily spat out, trying to get more of her friends in on the little party that was supposedly happening at her house. Bridget immediately began telling her that she'd be with her mum in Romania, but Frank agreed wholeheartedly, despite his annoyance last time around.
James, however, still looked like he had more to say.
"And, Alice is coming, too," he told her, "she wants to amend things."
Lily's face reddened. Amend things? Alice? At her house? After all the months and weeks she'd spent crying over her best friend's memory, she could crawl back to her and expect to be waited on for food and bed and clothes? She emitted a mad laugh.
"You aren't serious."
"No, you're quite right. That's why I'm not dating that friend stabbing git. I'm James."
Lily actually laughed as the Hogwarts Express pulled into King's Cross.
She toppled off, seeing her mum's face again, explained the situation, and the great mass of kids entered her car. She stared over at James's face. He smiled again, that pretty boy smile. And she smiled back. And in her next few daydreams, she thought of what would happen when- if- their lips over meant. She thought she might like it, after all.
A/N: My least favourite chapter so far. Next update WILL be sometime by next Tuesday, I hope. I'm going on vacation Thurs-Sun, so I'll hopefully have it done. Anyways, please review :) Thanks!