Summary: It's Lily Evans sixth year at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, with the loss of her best friend and a couple of weird new feelings for a particular toe-rag and it also being her sister's last year, how are the Evans sisters going to cope with the war going on that's way too close to home. The unanswered question of if Petunia was also a witch and what would change. AU
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
Chapter Two: Return
"Lily! Lily!" She turned round with an uneasy smile on her lips. Sure he was cute, and the two dates they'd had had been sort of fun, but even though he was sort of her first ever boyfriend his consent letters during the summer, and that one time he'd visited when her family was trying to get to the hospital, which had been down right annoying. Already she could predict that he'd be teary eyed by the end of their talk, and she'd only shed her tears later. Because she had sort of liked him at the start, but he'd taken her to Madam Puddifoots's and she vowed to NEVER go there ever again as soon as she'd walked through the door. (No doubt her kids would also feel a chill up their spins at the look of the place). And then he'd gone and insulted her friends because she wanted to hang out with them instead of him. Yes, it looked like the first act she was making in her sixth year was breaking up with Amos Diggory.
He hadn't been her first kiss thankfully, that had been Marlene, during truth or dare. The first boy she kissed had been Frank Longbottom, only because he was having a panic attack about asking out Alice Prewitt, that had been in her fourth year and his fifth. She'd been kissed by Adam Chang, a boy in his seventh year under the mistletoe last year. Then Amos had kissed her on their second date (which had only happened because she believed in second chances).
None of them had made her tingle at the thought of them, in fact just thinking about that messy kiss Amos had given her made her want mouth wash.
She, Lily Evans, wanted an earth shattering kiss, something that would make her curl her toes and cause her insides to melt. But with such high expectations how on earth was she going to find a guy who made her feel all that? It's not like she could set up a kissing booth and try well… all what Hogwarts had to offer.
Sighing she looked around her, but the small hallway in the Hogwarts Express offered no place to hide without being obvious. She saw, as he came towards her that he was waving a lily in his right hand. Morgana! Couldn't he be more creative? It was the one thing she hated about her name, all boys seemed to think they we're being highly clever by giving her a flower that was the same as her name. If they bothered to ask what her favorite flower was they'd find out that she adored white roses. What had her mother been thinking when she'd named both her daughters after flowers?
She wanted to tear the lily out of his hands and shred it to pieces, then stomp on them and afterwards perhaps throw them in his face, for good measure. Ok, ok maybe she was being unreasonable, perhaps she was taking this a bit too far…oh who was she kidding? Her temper was on an all time high, sooner or later the train driver was going to hear her shouting. But she would much rather use her anger than dissolve into tears at his very moment. The sight of Amos brought back why her family had been in the hospital, that her mother had cancer and would probably die soon because even in the magical world they hadn't found a cure.
The lily reminded her of the flowers that family friends had brought round when they heard the news.
She just wanted to find her friends and sit there in silence with their company as they watched the fields and towns go by. She didn't want to sit in the Prefects compartment and listen to the new Head Boy and Girl as they talked about their duties. She didn't want to talk to the boy in front of her, because nothing seemed to matter now. The small things that used to annoy her seemed laughable, they were in the past. What did they matter in the big scheme of things?
"I got this for you!" Amos bright smile looked down on her. "A lily for a lily." He winked; she had to control the grimace that wanted to make its self-known.
"Amos I –"
"Lily-"
They both started talking at once; the lily flopped into her hand. The flower looked dead, like it had given up.
"I'll go first," Amos interrupted. "I've found someone else, she's pretty and funny. And I generally like her more than you. I'm sorry it had to end this way, but I had to tell you before we started anything. After all it wouldn't have been fair to leave you hanging around and then hear it from someone else."
She blinked, quite startled by the turn of the conversation. Of course she was planning on breaking up with him, but really? He'd seen someone prettier and thought 'better dump Lily'!
"Wh-"
"Hope you had a good summer, Amber's waiting for me. Better go!" Amos winked and turned around a bright smile on his lips as he practically skipped away. She stared after him her mouth open, tears prickling at her eyes. Was she just some limp flower you could give away?
"Lily, there you are!" she recognized the older girl's voice before she turned around. She flung herself at her as her body shook with sobs. "Oh Morgana! What happened?"
"It…Amos-" she squeezed her eyes shut, surely it shouldn't hurt this much?
"What did that boy do? I told you he was a git." Isabelle Goldstein gently hugged her; the older Ravenclaw didn't seem to mind that she was ruining her blouse.
"He broke up with me," She stepped back and wiped away the tears on her face. "I mean, I was going to break up with him but he just dumped me for Amber Edgecomb because she is prettier than me!" she looked up into Isabelle's violet eyes just in time to see the girl snort.
"Please, Amber Edgecomb is a bimbo. She'd kiss a pineapple if it had lips on it. I've seen her carry around Finishes and Flourishes to have your Wizard Fantasizing like it's a bible. According to Violetta Price she spends two hours getting ready everyday, it annoys the girls in her dorm so much that they petitioned for her to get a separate room." Isabelle rolled her eyes sweeping her strawberry blonde hair over her shoulder.
"Well that does make me feel better." She bit her lip glancing over her shoulder in the direction Amos had gone. She'd probably pass the carriage he was sitting in with his new girlfriend.
"Well that's what I'm here for. Come on you'll be late for the Prefects meeting, did you know Alice Prewett and Frank Longbottom are Head Boy and Girl, I heard Emmeline Vance telling Bertha Jorkins. And we know whenever someone tells Bertha anything it's heard by everyone in under an hour." She sniffed and followed Isabelle down to the front of the train.
"Why were you looking for me anyway?" she looked up confused remembering Isabelle's first words to her.
"Oh, your sister asked me to look for you. Petunia is already in the Prefect's compartments and well..." Isabelle grinned slyly. "She doesn't look like she took not getting Head Girl well."
"She was ranting for days after we got our letters. She'd heard that the new Head's always got their badges with their letters like we got our Prefect ones." She rolled her eyes, glad for the change of topic.
"It's hilarious watching Alice beat Petunia in Herbology, they seem to have this little war going on. But everyone knows that Alice is a prodigy in Herbology." Isabelle shook her head and laughed.
"Alice beats her in Potions as well, the amounts of times I've head Petunia going on about it is ridiculous." She giggled, imagining her sister fuming at the sight of another defeat. They both slowed down as they reach the first carriage, which carried the Prefect's compartment.
"Tell me how Cygnus looks, will you? I haven't seen him since last term." Isabelle turned around her eyes pleading with me.
"And if Mr. Greengrass asks if you sent a message?" she couldn't help the grin from lifting up the corners of her mouth.
"Tell him that I expect him to meet me in my compartment, after he's done with prefect duties, of course." Isabelle winked as gracefully twirled away. She breathed in a turned to the closed door in front of her with its small golden letters that read 'Prefects Compartment'. She opened the door not wanting to waste anymore time.
"Lily! You're here!" Alice's bright face smiled up at me, her light brown eyes twinkling in her slightly rounded face. Her blonde hair curled around her face, and a bubble popped from her mouth. Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, without a doubt, Alice seemed to have an addiction to it. She noticed her sister sitting opposite, staring at the gum with disapproval. Petunia was siting next to Anthony Anwell her fellow prefect. And it looked like Emmeline Vance was filling in Alice's old position and Kingsley Shacklebolt was filling in Frank's.
"Have a good summer, Alice?" she smiled, noticing the joined hands of the new Head's. Frank and Alice were adorable together, and she couldn't help but feel a little proud that she'd played an odd part in getting them together.
"Yes, I stayed at Longbottom Hall for part of it. Mrs. Longbottom was very nice." Alice grinned, and I couldn't help but giggle. Everyone knew that Frank's mum was a very stern woman who didn't get along well with anybody, but apparently she'd taken quite the shine to Alice as soon as they'd both met the first time.
"Lily, come sit over here. I saved you a seat!" She looked up and saw Amelia Bones pat the seat between her and Remus. Remembering for the first time as she saw Amos sitting next to Amelia that he was a prefect as well. Great, more drama, why couldn't I just have a normal start to a new year at Hogwarts? She walked over to them and noticed Remus look between Amos and I. He seemed to notice the tension as he gave her a hesitant smile.
As she sat down beside him, the weariness seemed obvious. There were dark circles underneath his light green eyes. She'd always found it fascinating that his pupils were circled with gold, which came more prominent on the day of the full moon. His light brown hair fell in waves around his head, already it fell into his eyes in an adorable mess. If it weren't for his insecurities about being a were-wolf then she was sure he would have taken this to his advantage.
"How was your summer?" she whispered, as Alice and Frank started with a familiar Head speech. It was rather safe to talk because of this; other prefects were already having quiet conversations.
"Spectacular. Aunt Katherine, my dad's sister, came round for a couple of weeks. She looks down on mum cause she's a muggle and well dad hasn't told her but I can tell she doesn't like me." He rolled his eyes.
"I don't see how anyone could dislike you. You're fetching." She grinned, biting her lip to keep from laughing. She saw her sister look over, a disapproving look settled on her face.
"And you're quite bewitching yourself." Remus chuckled.
"I like to think so too. Though I might use words like; captivating, enchanting… and maybe gorgeous." She shrugged the smile on her lips started to hurt her cheeks.
"Did you read a dictionary over the summer holidays?" Remus laughed obviously amused, his green eyes twinkled.
"No, my vocabulary is just naturally dazzling." She winked at him.
"She's right Lupin, you're quite the hunk according to the gossip grapevine." Amelia grinned startling them both.
"Delightful as always Amelia." Alice laughed, making all three of them look up and notice that everyone was looking in their direction. "And as fascinating as the topic of Lupin's foxy looks are we are here for a meeting."
"Yes, lets move along shall we?" Frank raised an eyebrow at his girlfriend as she winked at Remus. Quite a few of them laughed when both Alice and Remus took on the looks of tomatoes.
"Right so fifth year prefects have the privilege of taking first years to their dormitories. Remember to go easy on them, they're unlikely to remember the way back to the great hall come morning." Alice smiled. She herself blew out a breath remembering the zombie like first years she and Remus had to gather to take to the dormitory last year.
"If you have the time, next morning we would like sixth years to wait for them and lead them to the great hall for breakfast. Of course there will always be the late risers who we don't expect you to wait for. Alice and I only had this idea yesterday so it's not part of your duties but I'm sure the first years will appreciate it." Frank smiled as he ran his spare hand through his shaggy brown hair.
"I think it's a splendid idea." Emmeline Vance grinned, her dark brown hair hung in waves to her chin and her fringe perfectly rounded on her forehead. She wore a pretty yellow scarf around her neck. It went well with her Hufflepuff uniform.
"I remember walking into a couple of those fake doors that first morning." Reginald Cattemole laughed. He sat right next to his fellow Hufflepuff, his fifth year partner Gwyneth Philips broke into giggles making her blonde curls bounce.
"We've never had that problem in Slytherin." Florence Bulstrode rolled her eyes. Her shoulder length brown hair pushed back by a black headband, every strand was perfectly arranged. The girl was the nicest Slytherin in Lily's year, meaning that she didn't bring up blood in every conversation, which was probably the reason she'd been chosen to be prefect.
"Everyone has tried to open a fake door, Bulstrode." Cygnus Greengrass leaned back in his seat and yawned. Managing to not look at all bothered by the stare Florence burned into his face. Cygnus was one of those few Slytherin's that actually admired a person by their knowledge and wit. He and his twin brother Albert had told her that they didn't want to overlook other houses because once Hogwarts was over little things like what house you were in didn't really matter. The Greengrass family managed and stocked most Apothecaries in the Wizarding World. Cygnus as the first-born would take up his families Lordship and live in their family's main Manor house. He told her that he planned on taking up his father's seat in the Wizengamot and continue supplying Aporthecaries around the country. Albert on the other hand wanted to open up his own Apothecary in Hogsmeade since there wasn't one there.
"I've always been able to manage my way around Hogwarts, Greengrass. Maybe others don't look where their going but I've always managed to use my eyes." Florence huffed and crossed her arms.
"Didn't you walk around the empty third floor for an hour last year because you couldn't find your classroom?" Titania Greengrass giggled, her long wavy brown hair tied into a ponytail and her green eyes sparkled with glee as Florence began to glow red.
"Careful there Greengrass, Bulstrode looks like she's swallowed an Exploding Bonbon." Regulus Black said dryly. Everyone's eyes followed the conversation with their eyes, weary of what could happen in the compartment. She saw Remus' own mouth tug at the corners, probably at the similarities between Regulus and his brother Sirius.
"Ok that's enough, we're here for a Prefect meeting. And as Prefects you are meant to show an example to the rest of the school." Frank Longbottom interrupted what was no doubt going to be a rude remark from Florence's mouth. Everyone shuffled in his or her seats uncomfortable with siting there for so long. An awkward silence befell the carriage as there eyes tried not to look at anyone else. Her eyes shifted to her sister, noticing the pursed lips and her frowning forehead. She was probably thinking that if she'd been Head Girl that argument would never had happened.
"Um… is there anything else?" Amos shifted in uncomfortable. "It's just that Amber promised to buy me some Liquorice wands, and I want to eat them before we arrive at the station." She saw a couple of eyes turn to her as the other girl was mentioned. Well looks like everyone now knew her single status. She changed her expression to boredom, not meeting anyone's eye. Perhaps she would reach her friends before the gossip reached them.
"Yes, I think that's all we need covered. We'll meet again at the end of the month for status reports and another meeting. You're all free to go." Alice smiled slightly, worried eyes on her. She smiled at the concern; Alice had wormed her way into Lily's life after she found out how Frank got the courage to ask her out. She hadn't minded how she'd done it just that Lily had cared enough to help them both out. Since then they'd helped each other out with homework and joined both their groups of friends together by the lake during the warmer months.
She grabbed Alice's spare hand and squeezed it as they all filed out. Remus was next to her as they all walked down the corridor, the corridor was wide enough for three people to walk down but you rarely saw that. The trolley lady no longer visible, the sound of laughter and excited talking could be heard from the compartments they passed.
"Cygnus?" she tapped the taller boy in front of her. He turned his head to the side and looked down on her with green eyes exactly like his sister's. "Isabelle expects to see you in her carriage."
"Thank you Lily," His slight smile, but warmer eyes told her all she needed to know. He walked on ahead not waiting for anyone to catch up. Remus walked out of the compartment with a smile and they began walking down the train together.
"So who's patrolling first?" she heard Mary McDonald ask behind them.
"Fifth years are always first to patrol, two prefects swap every hour. So after fifth year has finished patrolling, it goes to sixth year then seventh. Good luck." Remus smirked.
"Great." Mary sighed.
"I hope Peter hasn't eaten all the chocolate frogs yet, James said he'd save me some." She turned her head to see Remus rub his stomach, a wide grin on his lips.
"I think I stored one in my robes from when I went shopping in Diagon Alley." She patted the pockets that were hidden in the material.
"I'm not taking your chocolate Lily, no doubt those friends of yours have already eaten everything in their compartment. So I'm sure you'll be hungry." Remus chuckled.
"Ha ha, very funny Lupin." She rolled her eyes and found the chocolate frog at last. "Oooh look there's two!" Her eyes widened in surprise, she usually ended up eating her stash before going off to school. But it looked like there was one more than usual in her robes. She took them both out and stopped walking as she noticed the note on the second frog box.
With lots of love,
Mum.
xxx
"Oh," she blinked back tears, emotion rushing through her.
"Lily?" she looked up to see Remus looking worriedly down at her. She tucked the note and the chocolates back into her robes. She'd save them both for later, now didn't feel like the time for chocolate. Hopefully her friends had saved her a cauldron cake or pumpkin pasty to eat.
"I don't really feel like talking about it right now, Remus. Maybe another time." She sniffed, wiping away a stray tear. Plenty of people had survived cancer, but she'd already lost one grandparent to it. It was like a death sentence hanging over your head. You're going to die and there's nothing you can do about it. Well you can fight it, fighting is better than hiding from the problem. And her mum was fighting it, so perhaps she would win.
"Ok then," Remus smiled good-naturally. "Everyone's entitled to their secrets and whether they share them, you're allowed to keep some things to yourself."
"Thanks," she felt a smile tug at her own lips, suddenly feeling better. She looked out the window noticing the sky was filled with clouds as the hills rolled by.
"Looks like we're nearly there, three or four hours away." Remus peered out the window on his side. She looked up at him in amusement, their height difference was more visible when she stood next to him, he was one of the tallest boys in the upper years and tallest of his friends. She on the other hand was one of the shortest in their year; the top of her head didn't even reach his shoulders.
"Lily!" She turned to look in front of her as Hestia Jones came running down the hall. Her black curls bounced behind her, cheeks red and sapphire eyes bright.
"Hestia, how are you?" She smiled at her fellow Gryffindor sixth year. Hestia was nearly a head taller than her, her body was curvier and she usually wore heels.
"Great! My cousin Gwenog is starting this year, I spent the end of the summer with her and my aunt and uncle. The stuff they feed us! I must have hit another growth spurt over night!" Hestia laughed as she hugged her.
"I love the new necklace, where did you get it?" She asked Hestia as she looked at the gold necklace, which held a nail-sized ruby.
"Aunt Lutessa gave it to me while I was staying with them, apparently it was my Grandmothers but Gwenog didn't want it." Hestia smiled cheeks going to their natural pink.
"It's beautiful." She fiddled with her own necklace which was a gold chain with the letter 'L' hanging onto it. Marlene and Dorcas also had the same but with a 'M' and a 'D' on theirs.
"Hey Hestia," With a start she remember Remus standing next to her, he was smiling down at both of them.
"Oh hi Remus!" Hestia blushed.
"I'm going to go find Lena and Cassie, I'll see you later alright?" she smiled at them both but didn't wait for their reply as she nearly skipped down the train towards her friends.
They were siting at the back of the train as usual, something about the back of the train made sure that the compartments there weren't as used. People seemed to prefer the front. The two of them were seated in a rectangular train compartment; it was dimly lit with the lantern that hung from the ceiling swinging back and forth with the motion of the train. For some reason they'd closed the curtains cutting off the natural daylight, though you could catch a glimpse of outside when the curtains moved. They were bent over something, a piece of parchment it looked like and tapping their wands on it.
She giggled at the sight of their confused expressions and braced herself to what is she was about to enter in on. Dorcas noticed her first as she opened the compartment door. Cassie's pale pink dress set of her olive skin tone nicely. Her friend's hair had grown even longer than before the summer. The straight dark brown locks now fell to her waist; it was tied out of her face with a pink headband. Cassie was the tallest in their small group; her half-blood status was the tie between Lily's muggleborn and Marlene's pureblood. Though because Cassie's parents were actually both a wizard and a witch it meant that she still didn't understand some of the reference's Lily used. Cassie's brown nearly black eyes and straight dark hair, hinted at her part Asian heritage she'd got from her grandmother, and right now they looked at her in relief as her shoulders visibly slumped. It looked like it was Marlene who was responsible for this new adventure.
"Lily, thank Morgana you're here. Lena found this parchment in the boys compartment and stole it, she seems to think it holds all their secrets!"
"It does hold secrets, that much is obvious by the amount of magic my sensory spells are picking up!" Marlene the only pureblood of the three had grown up around the curious and the unexplained. Though in Lena's case it had been normal and taught at a young age. Lena had gown up in the magical world's pureblood circle, her own older sister had already married despite only being out of Hogwarts for a year. Lena's naturally tanned skin and short white blonde hair attracted the eye. Her light blue eyes always seemed to hold laughter in them, and the wide grin she wore showed off the beauty spot above her right lip. And the odd features seemed to stick with the females of the McKinnon family. The McKinnon family actually lived near the Potter's so Marlene had known what James Potter was capable of at a young age.
"So what have you got there?" she stepped into the compartment and shut the door behind her. She taped her wand on the door and made the glass darken somewhat so that it would be harder to spy on them.
"I was in the boys compartment earlier and I noticed Peter reading it before I opened the door. Sirius grabbed it off him hastily when he noticed me outside and tapped it with his wand. Amateurs." Lena shook her head, her shoulder length hair waving about her. "Anyway, I managed to sneak it into my pocket so we could see what they're trying to hide."
"How did you managed taking it away without them noticing?" she sat down and looked at the blank piece of parchment on the table. There was nothing noticeable about it apart from the fact it was free of ink stains and sticky finger marks. Which by itself was odd due to the amount of sweets her friends had surrounding it. So they must have put a dirt repelling charm on it, but what else? "Have you checked it for dark magic? Sirius could have found it at his house."
"That was the first thing I did," Lena nodded, a pleased smile on her lips. "And your learning not to trust everything that looks harmless, I see."
"Well that monster book that Peter had last year certainly helped. I nearly got my hand bitten off by that book!"
"He really should have put that somewhere were it wouldn't escape." Cassie rolled her eyes in remembrance. "And it was only because he'd convinced his mother he should buy it for O.W.L.S."
"Moving on from that. I've detected quite a bit of magic from the parchment, but it's hidden under a combination of charms and runes. Some of which they must have gotten from their libraries at home and Family Grimoire's." She saw Lena shake her head. "The amount of work they've put into hiding it alone it awe inspiring. I know they're some of the smartest people in the school but this is something else."
"So how are we going to revel its secrets?" she frowned at the parchment.
"By asking." Lena smiled her blue eyes glittering.
"Of course," she rolled her eyes, sometimes magic could be answered simply.
"Ok, who wants to do the honors?" Lena smiled and leaned back in her seat. Cassie bit her lip and looked in-between us all, worried and curious about what we would find no doubt.
"Fine, looks like I'm the volunteer." She flicked her wrist and her wand shot out of the holster on her arm and into her hand. She stepped closer to the parchment and looked down at it. "What if it starts attacking me?"
"That's why we're here." Cassie looked at her in what must have been try at a look of encouragement, but didn't quite make it there.
"I, Lily Evans Gryffindor Prefect ask for you to show the information you conceal!" she gathered up her nerve and touched the parchment with her wand. Nothing happened for a second and she lifted her wand off the parchment, they all leaned forward waiting for something to happen. Then writing began to appear upon the smooth surface in black ink.
Mr. Moony presents his compliments to Prefect Evans, and asks to her to return other people's property.
She blinked, dumbstruck by the message, but apparently that wasn't the end of it. More writing started to appear underneath the first message.
Mr. Prongs would like to add that Miss Evans is always welcome to poke into his business.
Mr. Padfoot would like to remind Evans that Prefects really shouldn't steal.
Mr. Wormtail bids the Prefect good day, and advises her not to look into any more Marauder business.
"Moony, Prongs, Padfoot and Wormtail? It certainly sounds like those four, they must have made this." Lena sat back and twirled her wand through her fingers.
"So who is who?" Cassie grabbed the parchment despite the fact that the ink was fading away.
"What?" she looked up at both of them.
"Who do you think Mr. Moony is?" Lena's eyes glinted.
"I… I don't know." She stammered a deep sense of knowing at least whom that name belonged to. How odd that they would nickname Remus something that reminded him of what he despised about himself.
"They must be nicknames, strange ones though." Cassie pondered, she squinted at the parchment in her hands as if the answers would appear if you looked hard enough.
"Yeah, they aren't any Ancient Houses with those names, though Puddifoot comes close to Padfoot…" Lena giggled, the thought perhaps amusing her that the boys had picked a name that was close to the vomit pink café in Hogsmeade.
"Why don't we just ask them?"
"Ugh well, I don't feel like admitting that I took this from them. James will chase me around the castle for days; he's kind of like a brother like that. And then there is no doubt Sirius will want some sort of pay back." Lena looked sheepish, as she glanced over at the door as if waiting for the boys to barge in.
"Well thinking about it according to the comments, they must have put their personalities somehow in this. So Prongs would most likely be James because of the interest in Lily." Cassie pointed out her mouth twitching in amusement. She felt her cheeks warm at the statement, it's not like she could deny it after all he asked her out last year despite the really bad timing. Though whether he'd actually been serious was another matter, some of her friends had thought he was, but that didn't matter right then.
"Padfoot sounds like Sirius, he always makes fun of Prefects." Lena laughed.
"As if you don't join in," She took the parchment from Cassie and put it on the seat next to her. "Wormtail then must be Peter." Her friends raised their eyebrows and frowned in thought. Afterwards they nodded in agreement.
"So Moony is Remus?" Cassie asked.
"Being polite but condescending, sounds like him alright."
"Remus isn't so much condescending as he is sarcastic, Lena."
"Alright, alright! I won't offend your fellow prefect." They both looked at her in clear disbelief. "Well not in front of you…"
"So how are we going to sneak this back into their belongings?" Cassie pondered, biting her lip in thought.
"Leave that to me," Lena grinned, a sparkle in her eyes that looked freakily similar to Dumbledore's.