Gryffindor's Lily

We were going to handle mandrakes in Herbology today- I had heard James and Albus talking about it before. It was supposed to be quite dangerous, so I was a little nervous. Our class stood around a long table that was filled with planting tools, pots and plants. I tie the apron around my waist, put the gardening gloves on, put my ear muffs on tightly and prepared for the worst.

"Pull up your mandrake and then put it in a new pot and fill it up with soil and then do another."

The teacher droned and I gulped, looking around at everyone else. They all looked terrified.

After we spread out, I took hold of a branch and I pull it up. The mandrake immediately starts to scream, almost making me drop it into the pot. I felt like screaming along with it. Even the earmuffs couldn't stop the piercing shriek.

I plopped it into the pot and filled the pot up with soil as quickly as I could. The screaming continued as a lot of others are dealing with the shock of holding a screaming mandrake.

Doing replanting a couple more of those wretched plants, the lesson finishes and we can finally take our ear muffs off. The screaming had stopped, but the sound still rung in my ears and I pulled a face.

Everyone helped with the packing up, it was quick and easy, with the exception of a few tipped over pots. After the cleaning, we all walked out of the green house.

Some are suffering headaches from the scream of the mandrake, but thankfully no one had fainted or died… well, at least, no one in my class- there were a couple of rumours of a few students in another class ending up in the hospital wing.

"Lily, mum and dad want you to send a letter they haven't heard from you in ages." James said, as I walked past him down the corridor. He tousled my hair in a way he knew I hated and I frowned, attempting to rearrange my hair back to the way it had been/

"I'll do it now." I replied, walking back towards the Gryffindor common room. I settled down on one of the red ouches by the fire place and started the letter.

As I walked towards the Owlery, I didn't engage in any conversations, just nodding and smiling at some of the people that I knew and walking at steady pace.

Once I had clombed up all the stairs to the Owlery, I saw that Felix had been waiting for me on the owl perch. He cooed happily when he saw me and fluffed up his feathers, leaning his head against my palm as I petted him.

"Take this to mum and dad." I said, tying the letter to his foot. I was careful to not tie it too tight. "Thankyou." I whispered into his feathers, where I assumed his ears would be and he nuzzled e in reply, before flying off in the direction of home.

I felt lighter walking to the common room, seeing Felix always made me happier. A couple of people greeted me with a smile and a 'hello', but the only greeting I got from any of the Slytherin's was a glare or a sneer.

I looked across to the desk next to mine. History of Magic wasn't a bad subject- not really, I kind of like it to be honest, it's just that Professor Binns didn't have the most… interesting way of teaching.

And that, is putting it lightly. Malfoy is sitting there looking like he could fall asleep and I almost smile, be I caught myself. No smiling at Slytherins, especially not ones that got me detentions.

I frowned as I remember what happened last night. I had gotten my first detention last night. James and Al were beyond pissed that I got a detention in my first year and therefore gave me a huge lecture about the Prophet and staying away from Malfoy.

I kind of feel bad, but then and again, wasn't my fault, Malfoy kind of deserved it.

I was just minding my own business and waling back to the dorms after studying when I ran into Malfoy and two of his friends. I hadn't planned on talking to them and they just glowered at me- just like every other Slytherin and then…

"Stupefy." The spell came out of nowhere.

"Protego." I said in retaliation, grateful that I was holding onto my wand since it was usually tucked away in my robes. The speel bounced off and coincidentally hit one of Malfoy's friends, but he didn't seem to care.

I was kind of glad it hit his friend though, because his other friend had run off- probably to get a teacher and then it was just me and Malfoy duelling. I didn't think I would be able to win against all three of them.

I thought of the Bat-Bogey Hex in my mind and a light shot out of my wand, heading for Malfoy. Mum taught me the curse in case I wanted to use it.

"Salvio Hexia." The light disappears but is taken over by another. "Petrificus Totalus."

I had jumped out of the way before I raised my wand again and I whispered, "Levicorpus." And a second later, Malfoy was hanging from the ceiling upside-down.

"What is going on?!" A voice demanded and I muttered the counter-curse. Malfoy dropped to the floor before he stood up and rubbed his shoulder.

"He tried to use the stunning spell on me professor. I was only protecting myself." I had said and with that Professor Longbottom sighed and shook his head.

"No matter who started it, you will both be serving detention tomorrow night in my office."

I sighed as History of Magic ended. Detention time with Malfoy, I groaned inwardly. Professor Longbottom, he's correcting an essay when we went in the room and he didn't even look at us as we walked in. But he soon stands up and walks towards the door, telling us to polish the school and house cups by hand.

I picked up a shiny silver cup and read the name. James Potter. My grandfather, the one I never- and won't ever know.

"You know, there are an awful lot of 'Potter's in scripted on these medals…" Malfoy said quietly and look up at Malfoy in surprise.

"Surprised?" I asked, smiling lightly.

"Yes and no." He said curtly, eyes focused on the cup he was polishing.

Everyone knows of what my dad did for the whole world but to me it's so much more. Placing the trophy down, I walk over to his desk and stand next to it.

"I never got to thank you properly for the train… you know? Catching me…" He still doesn't look up but I can see he's contemplating.

"If I had known who you were, I wouldn't have bothered." He said coldly. My smile faded and I winced at his words. The rest of the polishing was done in silence and when we finished, Malfoy immediately gets up from his seat and walks out of the room.

I walked out of the classroom slowly, realising there was no trace of Malfoy actually being in detention with me. It could've been a dream for all I knew.

When I got back to the common room, James was waiting for me on one of those couches, half-asleep. He jumped when I tapped him on the shoulder and I laughed.

"Goodnight Lily," He mumbled as he stood up and stretched, walking me to the bottom of the girl's dormitory before heading back to his own room.

"Goodnight." I said in return, forgetting all about detention and Malfoy's words as I stumbled into my room and slept.

Author's Note:

Hello everyone! Sorry it's taken me so long to update, I've been on holiday and really busy.

Soooo... What do you think? Please review.

Thanks so much to those who've reviewed, it really makes my day.

~ Brave Wolves