Seven A James and Lily

Story

I.
Lily Marie Evans anxiously fiddled with her jeans as she hugged
her parents and stepped onto the train. She had tried to hug
Petunia, who had recoiled immediately and made a snide remark
about the humiliation of being related to a freak. Lily refused to
let it get to her, choosing to board the Express immediately and
find Severus. As she walked down the aisle, she slipped on the
oversized Cambridge sweatshirt she had gotten over the summer.
Focused on straightening the hoodie, she ran straight into a group
of first years. The one that her eyes went directly to was tall, tall
for eleven, and had messy black hair and crackling hazel eyes
covered by glasses. He was wearing a slight smirk as he reached
out to steady her. Whats your name? he asked simply, keeping
his hands on her shoulders.
Lily, she replied, sounding as confident as the situation allowed.
Lily Evans. Who are you?
James, James Potter, he said just as boldly. He dropped his
hands and nudged the boy beside him with his shoulder. The boy
was the same height as James and had the same shade of hair,
which was a bit longer and tidier, and light grey eyes. This is
Sirius, and thats Remus and Peter, he explained, nodding toward
the boy beside him and the small one in the back. Remus was a
bit shorter that the first two, with shaggy brown hair and blue
eyes. The short one was blonde with small, watery eyes and a
face that could only be described as mousy.
Lily smiled at the group, hooking her thumb through the belt loop
in her jeans. Nice to meet you. Now, if youll excuse me, I was
looking for someone, she said, starting to slip through the
opening in the aisle. Before she could, James lifted his arm and

blocked her way, not in a rude way, but bordering on it. Maybe
we could help you find them. Who are you looking for?
I dont think youd know him, she answered, leaning back
against a compartment and looking down the aisle. His name is
Severus Snape.
No glint of recognition registered in the boys eyes as James
moved his arm to let her pass. Sorry we couldnt help out,
James said to her as she started moving through them.
S okay, she replied, turning on her heels and walking backward
so that she could still face them. Bye now, she said, turning
again and moving down the aisle.
Wait! James called after her. What house are you in? Maybe Ill
see you in the common room when I get sorted.
Lily blinked in surprise as she spun around. Im a first year, she
said slowly. She thought for a moment before adding more. Im
aiming for Gryffindor, but who isnt? See you at Hogwarts.
One more thing! he called out. Lily stopped, not bothering to
turn around. What are you? When Lily didnt say anything, he
elaborated. You know, pure or half?
She walked quickly past a few more compartments before
replying. She had learned about blood-status from Severus over
the summer. Im a mudblood, she called over her shoulder,
smiling at the reaction her choice of words brought to the
quartets faces.

Lily took a deep breath as her name was called. She made her
way calmly to the stool and sat, feeling the old hat being placed
on her head.

Hmmm, it said, loud enough for only her and the headmaster,
an old man with a long beard and spectacles, to hear. So
intelligent. So thoughtful. But theres more there, yes. Integrity,
lots of it, and a clear ambition. So many places you could go, so
many great things you could do. But I see something else, too.
Courage and bravery beyond belief. Hmm yes it had better
be.. GRYFFINDOR! it shouted, causing Lily to grab her ears and
wince. The surprise faded and joy replaced it. She happily made
her way to the table below the red and gold banner. She was next
to another first year, a girl with strawberry blonde hair and light
blue eyes.
Im Alice, the girl whispered. Alice Edwards.
Im Lily, she replied, still smiling.
Looks like were going to be roommates, Alice said with a grin,
then turned away to watch the rest of the Sorting.
Sirius (whose last name was Black, Lily learned. It seemed that he
had a relative in his same year: a pale girl with wild black hair and
the same grey eyes was sorted into Slytherin) had already been
sorted into Gryffindor, and Remus (Remus Lupin, the brunette
with the blue eyes) followed quickly. Soon, just after the mousy
boy (Peter Pettigrew) was put into Gryffindor, James went up. No
sooner than the hat touched his messy black hair did it shout out
its ruling.
GRYFFINDOR!
Lily couldnt help but feel a small twinge of excitement in knowing
that the group of boys who had spoken to her on the train was
going to be in her house (the excitement did not extend beyond
James, Sirius, and Remus. That Peter gave her the chills.)
Her excitement quickly faded as she saw Severus walk toward the
Slytherin table after his Sorting. He was greeted by a tall boy with

white blonde hair and a shiny badge on his chest. Severus

seemed overjoyed as he sat beneath the green and silver banner.
Lily managed to push Severus from her mind as she rushed
towards her common room after dinner, a thrill running through
her as James winked directly at her before she ran up to her room.

Lily! Addison Diggory shouted into her ear the next morning.
Get up! We need to get ready if we want to get to breakfast on
time.
Lily yawned as she sat up and opened the curtain surrounding her
bed. She opened her eyes and smiled at the sight of her
roommates. Aside from Alice, she was sharing a dorm with
Addison (who had an older brother, Amos, in Hufflepuff.), Lynn
Finnegan, Stacey Jamison, and Genevieve Jensen. Addison had a
bold personality and dark brown hair to match her eyes. Lynn was
on the shy side with a slight Irish accent, washed out red hair, and
pretty blue eyes. Stacey was a bubbly person with wavy blonde
hair and hazel eyes. Genevieve was a triplet (her sisters [Julianne
and Jessenia] were in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, respectively.) and
she had curly black hair, cocoa colored skin, and warm brown
eyes.
Lily had gotten to know all of the girls last night, which meant she
didnt get much sleep to prepare for classes today. She got ready
quickly, throwing on jeans and a long sleeve shirt under the
mandatory robe. She happily looped the red and gold tie around
her neck (which had been waiting on her bed the night before)
and brushed her teeth. She hurriedly pulled her hair up into a long
red ponytail and rushed out the door, steps behind the rest of the
girls.
Sitting with Alice & Co. at the Gryffindor table, she
absentmindedly poured herself a glass of iced pumpkin juice as

she studied her timetable. As soon as she took a sip, however,

she gagged and spit it back into the glass. James, who was sitting
across the table and a few seats away, looked at her in
amusement and surprise. Whats wrong, Lily? he asked, taking
a drink from his own cup. Do you not like pumpkin juice?
Its disgusting! she exclaimed, grabbing the pitcher of orange
juice and a fresh glass. It tastes like a rotten jack o lantern.
James smiled and shook his head slightly, as if he thought she
was being silly. So, what classes do you have this year?
She handed him her schedule:
Monday
9:25-11:00
Herbology
I w/
Hufflepuff
11:1012:45
Charms I
12:451:45
Lunch
1:55-3:30
DADA I
3:40-5:15
Potions I

Tuesday
9:25-11:00
Magical
Creatures w/
Ravenclaw
11:10-12:45
Transfigurati
on I
12:45-1:45
Lunch

Wednesday
9:25-11:00
Potions I

Thursday
9:25-11:00
DADA I

Friday
9:25-11:00
Charms I

11:1012:45
Charms I
12:45-1:45
Lunch

11:10-12:45
Arithmancy
II
12:45-1:45
Lunch

11:10-12:45
Potions I

1:55-3:30
Arithmancy
II
3:40-5:15
Charms I

1:55-3:30
Herbology I

1:55-3:30
Charms I

3:40-5:15
Astronomy
I

12:45-1:45
Lunch

1:55-3:30
Magical
Creatures
3:40-5:15
3:40-5:15
Transfigurat Astronomy I
ion I

His eyes widened as they skimmed down the paper. You have
Charms every day? And youre taking second year Arithmancy?
Im not even taking Arithmancy I.

Lily smiled. I like the idea of Charms. It sounds like Id be good at

it. And Im already pretty good at Maths in London, so I figured
why not take Arithmancy?
Sirius, who was sitting next to James, grabbed her timetable and
looked over it. Youre not taking Flying this year? Why not? James
is already an ace at it, and Im pretty good too.
Lily looked down and muttered, Im scared of heights.
James and Sirius broke out into huge smiles, as did Remus, who
was on the other side of James. James was the first to speak. You,
Lily GRYFFINDOR! Evans, are scared of heights? he said,
laughing in between words.
Drop it, she snapped, but she couldnt keep the smile off of her
face. James stood and made his way to her side of the table,
offering her his hand. She took it, glancing at the clock as she did.
It was 9:10, and Herbology was in the greenhouse on the far side
of the grounds. After she stood up, he threw his arm around her
shoulders and whistled loudly as they walked through the entry
hall. Lily laughed, leaning into him, and turned around slightly to
see the girls walking in a group behind her. Their eyes were wide
as they watched James and Lily. Do you like him? Alice
mouthed.
Lily shrugged slightly before turning her head to look up at James.
He was half a foot taller than her, but she could still see his eyes
beneath his glasses. He looked down at her and smiled, pulling
her a little closer. The few conversations they had shared had
made one thing clear: she definitely liked James Potter.

The rest of the year passed smoothly: Lily and Severus drifted
apart slightly, but were still close. She and James grew to be best
friends, as did she and Remus. Sirius became more of a big

brother to her (though he was only a few months older), teasing

constantly, but also defending her when Slytherins taunted her
about her blood-status. Peter still creeped her out a bit.
She passed her exams with flying colors: all Outstandings
(besides Transfiguration. That turned out to be her worst subject,
so she only got an Exceeds Expectations.).

II.
Lily! Alice shouted, running toward her and hugging her. Lily
stepped back, surprised, and nearly fell of the platform.
Hey Alice. Would you mind letting me get to our compartment
before you knock me off the train? she asked breathlessly. Alice
laughed and dragged Lily down the aisle before they got to their
compartment. It was already occupied by the rest of their
roommates, and Lily was just about to sit down when a loud cry of
Evans! emitted from the compartment across the aisle. Lily
spun around to find James standing in the door of his
compartment. She frowned in confusion. He didnt usually call her
Evans.
Hey James, she said with a smile. Hey Remus. Hey Sirius, she
greeted the other boys in the small space, merely nodding at
Peter.
Hey Lils, Remus said with a grin. He looked a little sickly, paler
than usual, but his voice and smile were the same.
Lily took a moment to study the boys. Peter looked exactly the
same, but the other 3 looked a little different then they had at the
beginning of summer. Siriuss hair was longer, brushing his
shoulders, and he had grown an inch or two. Remus had cut his
hair so it didnt hang over his ears anymore, and there were
pronounced shadows under his eyes. She turned her attention to

James last: he was at least 3 inches taller (thank God Lily had
grown a few inches over the break, or else shed be dwarfed by
him.), and his hair had a few dark brown streaks running through
it. She had never noticed those before.
Done checking us out, Evans? James asked, sounding a bit
snarkier than Lily cared for. She chose to ignore it for the moment
and gently nudged him with her elbow.
Shut up, James. Go drink a shrinking potion or something, she
joked lightly.
Someones gotten a bit bitchy over the summer, havent they?
he snapped back, joking tone gone.
Lily backed up into the aisle, shocked. She felt Addie grab her arm
as she stepped next to her. Dont worry about it, Lil. It must be
someones time of the month, she said in the snippy voice she
usually reserved for Slytherins. Lily saw Remus snap to attention,
as though Addies words meant something personal to him.
Before she could ask him what was wrong, Addie was pulling her
back into their compartment. She slid the door closed and
dropped into her seat. What the hell was that, Lily? Why were
you letting him talk to you like that? Why didnt you defend
yourself? I dont care if hes one of your best friends; he has no
right to say that to you.
Lily, still in shock about the things James had said to her (and the
whole Evans thing. What was that about?), didnt respond. She fell
back into her seat between the window and Alice and didnt say a
word for the rest of the trip.

Lily was in a daze for the first week of term. She paid almost no
attention to the Sorting (only one name registered with her:
Narcissa Black. She had white blonde hair and the same eyes as

Sirius and the black-haired girl from the year before. She was
sorted into Slytherin, where she sat next to the blonde boy who
had greeted Severus.) and drifted through her classes, absorbing
the information and doing the work but not really participating. To
make matters worse, the majority of her classes were with James,
and all of them were with a Marauder (the name the boys had
dubbed themselves).
James only attempted to apologize once, on the first day of
classes, and even then he didnt sound sorry.
Evans! Evans, wait up, he yelled after her on their way out of
Herbology II. Lily tried to ignore him, walking back to the castle
faster than before, but he was relentless. She finally turned
around, put her hands on her hips, and snapped, What, Potter?
He froze in his tracks and muttered a quick, Im sorry, Evans.
She stepped closer to him. And what exactly are you sorry
about? Being a complete and total asshole to your best friend?
Calling me a bitch? Acting like an arrogant idiot? His face turned
cold as he spoke.
God, you really are a bitch.
Lily turned around, smacking him in the face with her ponytail as
she did, and stormed back to the castle.

Three weeks into term, it was time for Quidditch tryouts. Lily had
a hard time deciding whether to go or not: on the one hand, she
was positive Potter would be there, and she didnt want to see
him any more than absolutely necessary. On the other hand, all of
her friends were going (including Remus. Black and Pettigrew
would probably be there [Black definitely would; he was trying out
for Keeper], but they had taken Potters side in the whole ordeal.
Remus remained firmly in the middle, which Lily respected.), and
she wanted to support all of the Gryffindors who were trying out.

She finally made up her mind the night before while she was
talking to Lynn and Genevieve.
If you want to go, you should, Lynn said in her soft voice, as if it
were that simple. What she said next, however, made Lilys
decision final. If you dont go, hell probably think that its
because of him, and that he has some sort of power over you,
she said, a hard edge coming into her voice. Hell get an even
bigger ego than he has now, and imagine what hell be like after
he gets the Seeker position.
There was no debate as to whether or not Potter would make the
team. He was a brilliant flyer, a fact not even Lily could deny.
The idea that Potter might think he could control Lily in any way
made her sick, so she leaned back onto her four poster bed and
said with finality, Then Im going.

Surprisingly, the next day was turning out to be the best one of
term (so far).
She was laughing with her friends, Remus providing an effective
barrier between her and the other two Marauders. She cheered
for almost every person trying out, and was having a blast until
the very end. The captain of the Gryffindor team had just
announced who would be on the team, and it was confirmed that
Potter would indeed be Seeker (Black also, unsurprisingly, made
the team).
As she and the girls walked down the bleachers, she had the
unfortunate luck of passing by Potter on the field. Deciding to be
the bigger person for the moment, she said a quick,
Congratulations, before rushing to catch up to Alice. If she had
turned back, she would have noticed the huge, love-sick smile
that grew on Jamess face.


Lily was sitting on the common room couch with her
Transfiguration book when she looked up to see Addie falling
dramatically into the recliner opposite her. So tired, she
gasped. All this studying is killing me.
Stacey laughed. You havent studied at all in the past four days.
If youre dying, Lily should be dead and gone. She hasnt put
down that book in three hours.
After everyone had stopped laughing, Alice yawned and glanced
at the clock. It was nearly ten. You know, Lil, its not good to be
sleep deprived when you take a test, and we have our first exam
in 11 hours.
Lily stifled another yawn before responding. You guys go ahead
and go to bed. Ill be up soon.
A few minutes later, everyone had said their goodnights and
Lily was slowly drifting asleep. She was woken, however, by 4
boys walking rather noisily down the stairs. Her head snapped up
to see Remus, Black, Pettigrew, and Potter. They were
whispering (unsuccessfully) and all jumped back when they saw
Lily.
What are you doing down here, Evans? Black growled. Lily
bristled and stood up, her book in hand.
I could ask you the same question, Black. At least Im not
sneaking out. I could ask Professor McGonagall if shes okay with
this, if thats what you want, she said.
Black was about to say something else when he was shushed by
Potter. Potter took a few more steps towards Lily before she
stopped him with a single glare. She looked past him to Remus,
who looked extremely ill and was shooting her a desperate look.
She sighed, and moved past them to get to her staircase. Potter

looked shocked that she was letting them go that easily, and she
was a bit surprised herself. But she wanted to help Remus.
Thanks, Evans, Potter whispered as he passed, and he sounded
so sincere that Lily took herself by surprise with her response.
No problem, James.

The rest of the year passes as uneventfully as could be expected.
Potter had taken up the annoying habit (he had somehow gotten
the idea that Lily fancied him) of asking her out constantly. She
turned him down every time, her responses varying from a simple
No, Potter to jinxing him so that he would fall flat on his face.
Her roommates were completely confused as to why she wouldnt
go out with him.
Hes so cute! was usually Staceys only argument.
He was really sweet to you last year, and he obviously really likes
you, was Lynns contribution.
Genevieve simply agreed with the others.
If he ever breaks up with you or calls you a bitch again, I could
take him out for you, Addie offered.
Hell never have the opportunity to break up with me, Ad,
because I will never go out with James Potter, was Lilys reply.
Alice laughed quietly.
What? Lily asked. Why are you laughing?
No reason, Alice said lightly. I was just thinking how adorable it
is that you refuse to accept what everyone else in this room - no,
in this school - knows.
And whats that?

That youre going to end up married to James Potter one day.

Lily had to stop herself from gagging.

III.
Lily laughed as she threw her arm around Alice and walked into
her usual compartment. Genevieve would be missing the first
week of term (she and her sisters had dragonpox), so Lily was
anticipating an empty seat when she opened the door.
When she sat down next to the window and across from Addie,
however, she was greeted with total silence. She looked around to
see an unfamiliar face in Genevieves usual seat. He was clearly a
first year, with short black hair and dark grey eyes. It took Lily a
moment to place how she recognized him: his face was exactly
the same as Siri- Blacks. She thought for a moment, trying to
remember the long list of Blacks relatives that she had learned in
her first year. Bellatrix (the girl with the curly black hair in her
year), Narcissa (the pale blonde a year behind her), and
Andromeda (a pretty brunette who was now in her sixth year of
Hufflepuff) were his cousins. She recalled him mentioning once
that he had a younger brother
Hey, Regulus, she said, praying that she was right about his
name.
He smirked at her, his face somehow looking older than eleven.
Hey, Lily.
That surprised her. How do you know my name?
He smiled more genuinely as he responded. James Potter is my
brothers best friend. He talks about you endlessly when he
comes over. How do you know my name?

She considered her words before replying. I used to know your

brother.
He raised an eyebrow. Used to know him?
She smiled faintly. I dont know either of them anymore.

Lily sighed as she fell back onto her bed. It was the last night of
Winter Break, and all of the girls were coming home the next day.
So was Remus. Of course, the two Marauders who had stayed
were Black and Potter. Thankfully, Sev and Regulus (who had
been sorted into Slytherin, sadly) had also stayed. Lily and
Regulus had become fast friends, as had Regulus and Severus.
Some of Sevs other new friends, however, Lily wasnt crazy
about. Avery, Muliciber, and Yaxley (all fifth year Slytherins) gave
her the chills. So did Lucius Malfoy, the blonde 7 th year prefect for
Slytherin. He seemed to be hanging around Sev a lot lately. When
Lily had voiced her concerns about them, Severus had reassured
her endlessly that he was fine and that the guys were harmless.
It had been a little bit of a relief to have a few days away from her
roommates. Alice had gotten a new boyfriend (a fourth year
Ravenclaw named Frank), and talked about him constantly. He
was a really great guy, but it seemed like he was all Alice could
think about lately. Lynn had started going out with Remus (they
were actually kind of adorable together), so Lily always felt like a
third wheel when they hung out. Her only salvation was hanging
out with her Slytherin friends (which consisted of exactly two
people), so thats what she had ended up doing for the majority of
term.
Lilys thoughts were interrupted by a loud thud against her dorm
window, and she turned around to see a disoriented owl fluttering
outside. She opened the window to see that the owl had a letter

in its beak. There was no name on it. Curious, Lily sent the owl
away after giving it water and unrolled the letter.
JamesMeet me, Sirius, and Peter at the Whomping Willow immediately.
Sirius just had an idea and I need you to help talk him out of it.
Its too crazy to even consider.
I cant let you guys do it. It doesnt matter, though. Youll think its
ridiculous.
Come quick.
-Remus
Lily scanned over the letter quickly. She briefly considered not
giving Potter the letter, but decided that she needed to help
Remus, and doing that required Potter getting the letter.
She rushed down the stairs and found Potter playing a game of
Exploding Snap on the common room rug with a first year. The
boy carefully stacked a card on the top of the stack, accidentally
knocking it over and causing all of the cards to explode. The
sparks left scorch marks on Potters tie, and one of them caught
part of his hair on fire. Lily watched quietly, expecting Potter to
scream at the boy or hex him. She was shocked to see him laugh
and put out his hair with a quick aguamenti before turning his
wand first to the boys tie (it was still on fire) and then at the rug.
Still laughing, she saw his eyes turn and widen as he saw her on
the stairs. He turned back to the boy, said, Well play again
tomorrow. I have to talk to my beautiful girlfriend over there.
The boy laughed and ran up to his dorm, leaving Potter smirking
and Lily scowling. It was hard to be angry, though. She had
thought the nice boy she fell in like with in first year was gone,
but she had just seen him again. It was refreshing, she thought, to
see a different side of him than the womanizing, self-absorbed,
oh-so-confident ass she was now used to.

She heard Potter clear his throat, shaking her from her musings.
She looked at him as she walked down the rest of the stairs. He
looked like James. Not Potter (there was a difference). He was in
a white collared shirt, his tie, and black sweatpants. He was
barefoot, and there was a thin crack running through the right
lens of his glasses. His hair was messed up, but not in the way he
purposely messed it up. And he didnt have that stupid Snitch in
his hand (supposedly he nicked it from his first interhouse
Quidditch game. Lily had a hunch that Dumbledore had just given
it to him). Suddenly, and for no good reason, Lily felt very selfconscious. She looked down at what she was wearing: her grey
sweatpants with all of the drawings on them (she sometimes got
distracted while studying) and her Cambridge sweatshirt. Her hair
was up in its usual ponytail and she was sure that there were dark
circles under her eyes. Her eyes widened as she saw a likeness of
Potters face drawn on her pants in green marker. She moved her
hand to cover it, only to see that there were at least 5 other
drawings of the same face.
Did you need something Evans? she heard him ask. She quickly
cleared her mind and held out the letter.
This came to my dorm by mistake. Its from Remus. There was no
name on it, so I read it. Sorry, but you should go. It sounds
important, she said quickly.
He raised an eyebrow at her, probably surprised she had
apologized for reading it, before opening the letter and skimming
over it. His eyes widened before he dropped the letter on the rug
and ran towards the portrait hole. He stopped short, turning
around for a few moments.
Thanks, Evans, he whispered before running from the common
room.
Lily stood there for who knows how long, going over the details of
the version of James she had seen tonight.


The rest of third year passed quietly. Potter continued to ask Lily
out, and she didnt catch any more glimpses of James. Lynn and
Remus had ended on good terms in the middle of May (Alice and
Frank were still going strong).
Lily never did find out what that mysterious letter from January
had been about. She had asked Remus about it, but he paled and
hurriedly answered, Nothing important. Nothing. It was nothing.
Severus had been getting more and more distant, but Lily was
sure that summer would make them close again. Regulus had
started hanging out with Sevs Slytherin friends, but Lily got the
feeling that Regulus didnt really like them.
Lily managed to get an O in Transfiguration (as well as all of her
other subjects), thanks to some tutoring from Remus. She, in
return, helped him in Potions (she was Professor Slughorns
muggle-born prodigy. She was fine with that title. It was better
than mudblood. While she sometimes used that term to
describe herself, she knew that it was a horrible insult from
anyone else.)
Lily was overjoyed to be going into her fourth year, meaning that
she would be able to attend the annual Yule Ball.
She could only pray that she would be able to get a date; James
would definitely be asking her.
Hmmm what could my answer be? she thought sarcastically.

IV.
The train ride was enjoyable, as usual. The only downsides were
a) there being no room for Regulus to sit with them (with Lily,

actually. The girls werent huge fans of her Slytherin friends) and
b) Potter asking her to go with him. Twice.
The first 2 months passed normally: classes got progressively
more difficult, Alice continued to date Frank (the constant talking
about him, however, was decreasing steadily), and Potter asked
her out more and more frequently.
At the Halloween Feast, Dumbledore made his usual speech,
finishing it by announcing the 312th annual Yule Ball for 4th years
and up on Christmas night.
You have to go to the Ball, Lil! Stacey whined later that night in
the dorm room.
Shes right, Lily. Its going to be no fun without you, Lynn added.
Guys, I want to go. But I cant.
Why not? Addie demanded.
Because you guys already have dates which is ridiculous, by
the way, considering the Ball was just announced 4 hours ago
and Im totally not going to get one in time, since Potter has
basically marked me as his property, Lily vented. And it was true.
Though he was only a fourth year, Potter was taller than most
sixth years and somehow was incredibly intimidating (apparently.
Lily couldnt see why, but Alice was positive that was the reason
virtually no guys asked Lily out.).
Maybe you should just go with James, Gen suggested quietly.
Lily answered that with a venomous glare.
Lily, Alice drew out the word, there is absolutely no way in hell
that you are missing this Ball. I dont care if I have to drag you
there by your hair, you will be there.
Alice, Im not going to be the only one of us there without a
date.

Thats not going to happen, she said confidently. James hasnt

asked you yet, right?
No, Lily answered. Miraculously, I managed to leave dinner
before he could.
Then we need to get you a date as soon as possible. Frank told
me the other day that his friend Marcus has a huge crush on you,
and Ill have him ask you to the Ball after Charms tomorrow.
Marcus Montgomery was a fifth year Ravenclaw, and he was
easily one of the most attractive guys in school (the girls had a
list going. Despite Lilys many protests, Potter and Black were in
the first two spots. Remus was in fifth. Pettigrew was, well not
even on the list.). He was gorgeous, but still smart, funny, and
nice.
Lily smiled. Well, now that thats taken care of, I guess Im going.
We have a couple months, but I think we should go to Madame
Malkins on the next Hogsmeade trip for dresses. Now that my
problems out of the way, can we get back to finding out who
Addies going with?
The girls all turned to face Addison, who shrunk back slightly
under their stares. She had gotten a date on the way back from
dinner, but had refused to tell the girls who it was.
She got her confidence back quickly. Im not telling. You guys will
just have to wait till Christmas to find out.
And she refused to say another word on the subject.

The next morning, Lily sat restlessly through Charms, ignoring the
enchanted pieces of parchment being thrown at her by Potter. As
soon as they were dismissed, she rushed out of the classroom,
leaning against the wall across the hall from where Alice said to

wait. She saw Potter coming towards her, but thankfully turned to
see Marcus only a few feet away.
Hey, Lily, he said, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck.
Hey, Marcus, she said with a smile. She saw Potter talking to
Remus and pointing to her, probably asking what was happening.
So I was wondering if maybe, if you didnt already have plans
with someone else, if you wanted to go to the Yule Ball with me?
he asked slowly, carefully.
Lily giggled lightly, nodding as she did. Id love to, Marcus. Ill
see you later, okay?
He nodded, beaming, ducking to kiss her cheek before turning
and going down the hall.
Lily stood there, blushing and grinning, realizing just how great
Christmas was going to be this year.

Lily! Addison shouted into her ear, and Lily had a vague
flashback to the first day of first year. Lily, get up! Were going to
Hogsmeade in 2 hours!
It was the first Saturday of December, and they were going to
spend the entire day in the village. First stop: Madame Malkins.
Four hours later, the girls were walking out of Malkins, arms
loaded with bags filled with dresses, shoes, jewelry, and a few
Christmas gifts.
Fancy going into Zonkos for a bit? Addie asked. That was a
surprise. Addie wasnt one for jokes and pranks. She thought they
were a waste of time, since she was an extremely straight-forward
person. The girls agreed, wondering what was driving Addie into
the only shop she didnt like.

They walked into the bright, loud, and busy store. It was easily the
most crowded shop in the village, filled by third years to seventh
years, all houses. Lilys eyes went directly to a quartet of fourth
years in the corner of the shop, and she rolled her eyes.
Ill meet you guys in the Three Broomsticks in half an hour,
kay? she asked, all too willing to leave the premises.
The girls muttered their agreement, distracted by the shelf of love
potions. Addies eyes were wandering to the corner of the shop,
settling on the four boys Lily was anxious to avoid. Too occupied
by the idea of leaving to want to hang around, Lily left.
Halfway to the Three Broomsticks, Lily tripped on an uneven
cobblestone, falling forward and dropping her bags. She managed
to absorb the impact on the heels of her palms, scraping them
against the pavement. Swiftly gathering up her things, she looked
up to see three girls standing over her. The girl in the front smiled
coldly down at her with grey eyes, watching her hands bleed onto
the ground. The shortest of the three stood slightly back, her
white blonde hair covering her face, looking conflicted about
whether to help Lily or not. The tall brunette got to her knees
quickly and helped Lily gather up her bags. Studying them, Lily
immediately put names to the faces. Bellatrix, Narcissa, and
Andromeda Black. She watched them for a moment, getting to
her feet. She saw the way the shorter two angled slightly away
from the brunette, Andromeda. Lily remembered Remus telling
her something about how Andromeda had been disowned from
the noble house of Black, and how Sirius was sure that he was
next.
You okay? Andromeda asked in a kind voice, drawing a scoff
from her dark-haired younger sister.
Of course shes not okay, Dromeda. Look at her. Even with
those looks aside, she was born a mudblood. Personally, if I was
like her, I wouldnt show my face in public, (A/N: I was going to

have her say Id kill myself since it seems like something

Bellatrix-ish, but did people say that in the 70s?) Bellatrix said
snidely. Poor Regulus is going to get himself disowned like dear
Sirius and Dromeda if he keeps hanging out with mudblood scum
like you, she said with fake sympathy before attempting to walk
past Lily, sticking out her foot as she did so.
Lily dropped her bags, reached out and grabbed Bellatrixs right
wrist and twisted it up. Thankfully, it was her wand arm.
Andromeda looked like she had briefly considered helping her
sister, but decided against it. Instead, she leaned against a
nearby brick wall and watched what was going down. Narcissa
looked like she wanted to help, but didnt want to get in Lilys way.
Bellatrix snarled and tried to break out of Lilys grasp, causing Lily
to hold on more tightly and twist her arm behind her back and pin
it between her shoulder blades. Lily swept her foot under
Bellatrixs legs and knocked her to the ground. Bellatrix was
laying on her stomach, kicking wildly, her arms still held behind
her by Lily.
Poor, dear Bellatrix, Lily said sharply. You just got your ass
kicked by a mudblood and I didnt even use magic.
Petrificius totalus, Andromeda said clearly from the brick wall,
her wand pointed not at Lily, but at her sister. She walked over to
stand beside Lily, answering the unspoken question. Shes a
bitch, she said simply. Shes the one who told Mum that I was
dating a muggle. But thats not why I helped you.
Why did you help me? Lily asked, no idea what the answer
would be.
Andromeda looked Lily in the eyes, a slight smile on her face, as if
she wasnt quite sure what to say. Youre brave. I cant tell you
how many people Trixies been horrid to, and no ones ever tried
to stick up for themselves. Youre the first. And, she hesitated,

debating whether or not to say more. I can tell youre a good

person. Youve got a little of everything in you. I know youre
Gryffindor, but theres more. Youre brave, and kind, and
ambitious, and smart. (A/N: I smiled while writing this because it
was sounding like Divergent) Thats why he likes you, you know.
Lilys head snapped up from watching Bellatrix. Who?
Andromeda grinned. James Potter. Who else? He used to come to
the noble house of Black every summer. Not anymore, of course.
Sirius lives at his house now, you know. He even let me stay there
for the summer until I got my own place after I got kicked out.
Hes a good guy. Im surprised that you of all people buy the
whole act.
Lily was just confused. Potter didnt like her. He chased after her
for, well, the chase. Nothing more. Still, she was curious. What
act?
Andromedas face became more serious, as if she couldnt believe
Lily wasnt in the know. The whole womanizing, self-absorbed,
oh-so-confident ass charade. My friend Molly had this theory that
its a defense mechanism or something. She thinks he does it
because he wants people to like him. Pretty stupid, I know, but it
kind of worked for him, a little. I can tell that it didnt work as well
as he wanted it to, though. The one person he wanted to really
like him was you.
Lily was stunned, but something still nagged at her. She could
sense that the subject was slowly drawing to a close. But I did
like him. In the first year. We were best friends.
Things dont always go according to plan, Andromeda said
simply, backing up and grabbing her little blonde sisters hand.
And maybe he wanted more than your friendship. But dont
worry. I have a feeling everything will work out.

She and Narcissa started walking away, Andromeda calling over

her shoulder, Make sure you send me an invitation!
To what? Lily shouted back.
The grand wedding of Potter and Evans, of course! Ill be in the
book under Tonks!
Lily stood there, dumbfounded, until the spell on Bellatrix began
to wear off.

LILY!
5 irritated girls screamed into her ear.
Lily groaned and rolled over, pressing her pillow over her head.
Lily, its Christmas morning. Were exchanging presents, and
then were going to breakfast, and then were going to start
getting ready for the Ball,
Lily reluctantly sat up, reaching out to close her curtains.
Her wrist was stopped mid-reach. No. Get up, now.
Lily yawned, moving her legs out from under the duvet and
putting her bare feet on the floor. She quickly grabbed a t-shirt
and jumper from her bedside drawer and pulled it on. She decided
to leave her sweatpants on, since they wouldnt actually be
putting on their dresses until right before the Ball.
The girls all sat down in front of the fire in the common room,
presents for each other in hand. They all grabbed their gifts from
the common room table (they had all been owl-delivered the night
before) and opened them.
The girls had all loved the gifts Lily had gotten for them. Shed
gotten Addie a new pair of heels, Alice a charm bracelet, Lynn a

pair of hoop earrings, Stacey a pink jumper, and Genevieve a new

journal.
The girls had gotten her: an embarrassingly tight and lowcut
dress (Addie), a pair of platform sandals (Stacey), 6 new packs of
permanent markers (Gen), a gorgeous red shoulder bag (Lynn),
and a Gryffindor hoodie that (Alice) had gotten from who-knowswhere.
After they had opened all of the presents that had been sent to
them (Lily got a great new leather jacket from her parents.
Petunia had gotten her a glove that looked like she had found it
on the side of the road.), Lynn spoke.
Hey Lil, theres a present under the table with your name on it.
Lynn passed her a small gold box tied with a red ribbon. Lilys
name was written in a clumsy scrawl on the box, but there was no
name saying who it was from. She opened the box to find a
beautiful gold necklace with the letter L surrounded by small
lilies. A small card was on top of the chain and, in the same messy
handwriting, were the words Merry Christmas, to my beautiful
girlfriend.
Lily couldnt suppress her laughter after reading the card. She
slipped the chain over her neck and slid the card into the pocket
of her sweatpants.
Whats so funny? Addie asked, looking over at the necklace.
Who sent it?
Im not sure, Lily fibbed. Its really pretty, though.
Maybe it was Marcus! Alice exclaimed. Or James, she added
more quietly.
Lily burst into hysterical giggles but was interrupted by a new
voice.

Hey, Evans, James said from behind her. Nice necklace.

She smiled a little at him. Hey, Potter. I love it.
He turned to leave the common room. I like your sweatpants too,
by the way.
Lily looked down and blushed as he left the room. She was
wearing the pants with the drawings all over them, and at least 3
sketches of Jamess face were visible.
The girls looked over at Lily, and Addison started laughing as she
studied the faces on the sweats. There were sketches of all of her
friends, her parents, one of Petunia, and a couple of Remus and
Black, but the most reoccurring face by far was Potter.
Shut it, Addie, Lily muttered, the blush fading but a small smile
still on her face.

Perfect, Addison exclaimed, backing away from Lilys face to get
a better look. Youre a knockout, Lil!
They were in the dorm room finishing up getting ready, and Lily
could safely say that none of them had ever looked better.
Genevieve was wearing a lavender dress with a halter top that
made her dark skin look like it was glowing. Her hair was pinned
up elegantly and she wore silver flats (she was by far the tallest of
the six).
Stacey looked incredible in a fuchsia strapless dress that cinched
at the waist and fell to her knees. Her blonde hair was in ringlets
and hung just above her shoulders.
Lynn wore a dark blue dress with hundreds of crystals that went
down to her ankles and swished when she moved. Her light

orange hair was pulled back from her face and fell in waves down
her back.
Addie looked, well, like Addie in a bright red strapless mini dress
that Lily would have felt mortified wearing. But Addison looked
completely glamorous (and somehow tasteful) with her long
brown hair straight and her makeup dark and smoky.
Alices white dress swept the floor and was covered in silver
rhinestones. Her strawberry blonde hair was done up in a loose
bun with a white rose twisted into it (the rose had come to the
girls dorm that morning from Frank.).
Lilys dress was pale gold, strapless, and was tight until her hips,
where it flared out and hung around her until it hit the ground.
Alice had curled her red hair and left it down, and Addie had
managed to convince Lily to let her do her makeup. It actually
looked pretty good, gold eyeshadow and dark red lipstick. Lily
couldnt resist wearing the gold necklace; it looked good with
what she was wearing and Lily couldnt help but love it.
The girls were all meeting their dates outside the common room,
and when they walked down the stairs, Lily trailing in the back,
they got an impressive number of catcalls and wolf whistles.
Leaning back against the stone wall in the corridor, Lily asked
Addie casually, So, are you going to tell us your dates name yet,
or will we just have to wait until we see him?
Addie looked down the hall, her face suddenly brightening. You
dont need to wait any longer, I suppose, the boys are here.
Behind Frank and Marcus were Remus (he was taking Lynn, even
though they werent going out anymore), Andrew Spinnett
(Staceys date), Adam Owens (he was taking Genevieve), and
no.
No.

Sirius Black.
Black came up to Addie, offered her his arm, and she giggled
softly and slipped her arm through his.
Lily was still shocked as she and Marcus entered the Great Hall
behind the other 5 couples. Her mind cleared as Marcus slowly
spun her in and out before going to get drinks.
She laughed, walking over to the other girls. They were
whispering excitedly.
Whats going on? Lily asked.
James Potters here with Amanda Richmond! Alice hissed.
Amanda Richmond was a fifth year Slytherin and easily the
prettiest girl in school. Contrary to her looks, she was rude and
stuck-up and, well a total slut.
Lily laughed, feeling only the slightest bit upset. Well, hes in for
a fun night. And a really disappointing morning, she quipped,
looking over at the couple. James looked rather handsome in his
tuxedo (Dumbledore was quite insistent that the students wear
muggle formal clothes, rather than dress robes), and his hair
wasnt all that bad. Amanda looked herself in an electric blue
dress shorter than Addies with a v-neck that plunged to her
waist. She was a foot shorter than Potter, and she clung to his
arm like a leech. Much to Lilys enjoyment, Potter looked
incredibly uncomfortable.
The rest of the night was amazing. Sirius was being civil to Lily,
and Addie looked like she was having a great time. Lily managed
to dodge every request to dance from Potter; she instead danced
with Marcus, Remus, some great-looking sixth years (one was
even in Slytherin), and one dance with Severus, during which they
laughed the whole time.

Her favorite moment of the night was kissing Marcus when he

walked her to the portrait hole (her second favorite moment
would have to be Addie tripping Amanda after she had made a
rude comment about Lilys blood status).
She walked into the common room, dizzy with happiness, and ran
straight into Potter. He put his hands on her shoulders to steady
her, and she had a brief flashback to that first day on the train.
He stepped back abruptly, looking like he was debating whether
or not to say something.
I I just wanted you to know that I I thought you looked
incredible tonight, Lily.
Lily raised her eyebrows. Where was the Go out with me Evans
routine? Against her better judgement, she replied.
You didnt look too bad yourself, Potter.
He broke out into that trademark smart-ass grin.
I knew you liked me, Evans.
His smile didnt last too long after Lily stepped on his foot (luckily
for him, she had taken off her heels earlier that night) and
stormed upstairs.

The only thing that was able to distract Lily from Potters constant
asking-out and his nasty habit of hexing Severus and Regulus was
the deterioration of her and Sevs friendship. He was spending
more and more time with Muliciber, Yaxley, and Avery, and he was
acting more and more like them.
Thankfully, she had been able to get a job at Flourish and Blotts
for the summer and would be staying with Andromeda (she had
gotten an apartment just outside of Hogsmeade).

A Petunia-free summer.
Perfect.

V.
What if Potter is prefect? Lily thought nervously as she made her
way to the prefects compartment.
Who else could it be? Black was, well, Black, Pettigrew was, well,
Pettigrew, and Remuss problem would make being a prefect
nearly impossible.
She let out a sigh of relief as she walked into the compartment
and saw not Potters hazel eyes, but Remuss blue ones looking at
her.
The meeting was incredibly dull, making schedules for patrols and
talking about upcoming common room passwords.
Potter asked her out the next day. It was getting a bit repetitious;
he wasnt doing anything dramatic anymore. No howlers at
breakfast, no thousands of tiny hearts when she opened her
Charms book. It was just the same go out with me Evans. It was
like he wasnt even trying; the thought, ridiculously, made her
almost sad.
On Lilys first patrol, she went up to Remus.
Remus, can I speak to you for a moment?
Sure, Lils.
They were walking on one of the shifting staircases when she
finally spoke. I just wanted you to know that if you ever have to
miss any patrols, I could cover for you.

Thanks, he said slowly, taking in her expression, but why

would I miss any patrols?
Oh, you know, if youre ill or a family member dies or is born or is
getting married.
He stepped back suddenly, putting as much distance as possible
between himself and Lily. Im guessing you figured it out, he
muttered.
Yeah, at the end of third year. But dont worry, Remus. Youre my
friend, lycanthropy or not, and youre still the same to me.
He looked up to make sure she was serious before letting out a
sigh of relief. He picked her up and spun her around quickly,
laughing.
Oh, thank God, Lil. I dont know what I wouldve done if you had
said you didnt want to be my friend anymore.
Lily laughed, slightly dizzy, and they went back to their patrol.

By the time winter exams rolled around, the fact that Remus was
a werewolf never crossed her mind when she thought about him.
He had miraculously gotten the rest of the Marauders to study,
and they all looked ready to drop any day. Potter wasnt even
hexing Severus and Regulus anymore. He had, sadly, not dropped
the habit of asking her out. Lily had been making the girls study,
too, and they were constantly exhausted. Lily was surprised she
hadnt cracked under the stress yet, but she managed to push
through exams without losing her sanity.
On Valentines Day, Lily walked with caution, waiting for an
overdone and gaudy valentine from Potter, but none came. That
night, she was doing her homework in the empty common room
when the quill in her hand turned into a pure white lily. She looked

up, expecting to see the person responsible, when more and more
lilies appeared on every surface of the room. Some in vases, some
in bouquets, some lying on the ground.
Who could have done this? Lily wondered. There was only one
possible answer: Potter.
This isnt Potters style, she thought. Its sweet, a lot sweeter than
Potter is usually capable of.
But who else could have done this?
Sighing, she waved her wand and vanished the lilies. She
gathered her books and began to walk upstairs, stopping only to
grab a lily from the steps that must have escaped her spell. It was
rather good magic, and it would be a shame to waste all of it. She
took the Lily back to her dorm, filling a vase with water and
putting it on her bedside table.

Crying, Lily rushed into the library and sank down to the floor
behind a bookshelf. How could he have said that to her? After she
had tried to defend him? After their years of friendship? SevSnape had called her that word in front of an audience; in front of
Potter.
Not that she cared, of course.
Go away, Snape, she hissed through her teeth as she heard
someone sit down next to her.
Its not Snape, Potters voice said.
I dont care, she snapped, lifting her head. I dont want to talk
to anyone right now. Go away.
Listen, he said, I get it. He had absolutely no right to call you
that. Lily could hear the thinly veiled anger in his voice.

You dont get it. How could you possibly get it? Perfect pureblood
Potter, she retorted. I dont want your sympathy. Im not some
charity case. Youve made my life miserable for the past 4 years.
Take a hint, okay? I will never like you. I know youve made it a
goal to snog every girl in this castle, but its not going to happen.
She stood up, ready to leave, when he grabbed her wrist. She
spun around, yanking it out of his grasp, and was surprised to see
his expression. It was cold, angry, but an unmistakable layer of
hurt was underneath it.
For someone so smart, youre really stupid (A/N: this is a quote
from something, but I cant remember what.), he hissed. Are
you really so absorbed by the idea you have of me that you cant
see anything else? Is it really so impossible that I have feelings for
you? That I wanted more than a quick snog in a broom closet
somewhere?
Lily was speechless, trying to process what he was saying.
I guess it is, he snarled. I come here to make sure youre okay,
and I get yelled at, I get verbally abused, I get treated like Im the
one who said that to you.
Dont worry, Lily. I wont make the same mistake twice. Next time
one of your friends does something like that to you, I wont do
anything. And I certainly wont make the mistake of falling in love
with you again. Im done.
He stormed out of the library, leaving Lily dumbstruck, fresh tears
beginning to run down her face.

Standing on the Kings Cross platform, Lily couldnt do anything

but look at him. Normally, he would come up to her, ask her out,
and leave rejected, but with a smirk still on his face. Not today. He
avoided her, looking anywhere but in her direction.

In the last few months of school, the entire atmosphere had

shifted. Everyone knew something was wrong, even the teachers.
James Potter no longer chased after Lily Evans, and that simple
fact changed everything.
The one time Lily managed to catch his eye on the platform, he
looked back at her for a second with a blank, hard expression and
quickly looked away.

VI.
Lily was worried about returning to Hogwarts, her and Jamess
fight still haunting her thoughts.
She had yet to fill the girls in completely about what had
happened. It wasnt something she was anxious to talk about; she
had lost her best friend, and she wasnt sure if James (she had
stopped calling him Potter sometime in July) had meant what he
said about giving up on her.
After she had told the girls the whole story and answered their
questions, she left the compartment and ran straight into James.
Evans, he said quietly.
James
He walked right past her and left her standing there, in the middle
of the aisle, thinking of all that had changed in a few short
months.

The atmosphere was still strange. Some people were confused

about what had changed between James and her, and others were
glad about whatever it was (mostly girls who had felt Lily was

getting in their way of a real relationship with James). Lily just felt
empty.
I certainly wont make the mistake of falling in love with you
again.
Hes not really in love with me right? He cant be, she somewhat
desperately asked the girls two weeks into term.
Alice and Addie exchanged looks before anyone replied.
Umm, Lil, it wouldnt surprise me, said Stacey carefully.
Shes right, Lily. You havent always been the nicest to him, and
he kept trying. That has to mean something, Lynn said gently.
Lily looked at Addie for help. If anyone could be brutally honest
with her, it was Addie.
Sorry, Lil. Youve never been able to see how he looks at you. He
looks at you like youre his whole world.

Lily found herself unknowingly watching James at any given

opportunity. She began going to Quidditch practices for no other
reason than to see him.
One day in November at dinner, something came over her. She
wasnt aware of anything except for the fact that she was
standing in front of James.
James?
That got everyones attention. People stopped their
conversations, all turning to look at them.
James, can I talk to you in the hall for a moment?
As they slowly walked out of the Great Hall, Lily looked over her
shoulder to see Dumbledore give her a small smile.

You can do this.

Once they were in the hallway, James looked at her cautiously,
waiting for her to put her thoughts into words.
James, I I just wanted you to know, I just wanted to say Im
sorry.
She tried to not to laugh as he pinched his own arm and looked at
her blankly.
Last year, after Se-Snape did that, you were just trying to help. I
cant believe what I said to you. If I could, I would take it all back.
You were being so nice to me, and I just snapped. Im so sorry.
She was too preoccupied with going over what she had said to
notice that James had begun speaking.
I wasnt really mad, just a little. Im over it.
Lily broke into a smile just as a group of sixth year Slytherins left
the Hall.
Friends? she asked him.
He gave her a disapproving look. Lily. If youre only asking
because Snapes standing 10 feet away, no. But if you really
mean it, absolutely.
Lily considered her words before answering.
I mean it. I would love to be friends with you again. But it also
doesnt hurt that it pisses Snape off, does it?
He smiled at her, throwing his arm over her shoulders as they
walked back into the Hall. Friends.

Lily soon realized that having James as a friend was something

that she had missed immensely. It also made it so that both of

them were getting better grades; her in Transfiguration, him in

Charms and Potions.
She had also gotten back the friendship of Sirius and Peter (Sirius
went back to teasing her, and her and Peter were more civil than
they had been even before the fight).
During Christmas Break, Sirius was spending the holiday with
Andromeda, so Lily and James found themselves hanging out
alone much more often.
One morning, they were sitting out by the Black Lake in the
freezing cold, and Lily found herself telling James everything
about her life at home, including why she hated going there for
the holidays.
Petunias really a rotten sister. Do you know what she sent me
for my birthday last year? An envelope. Nothing in it. Just a torn
envelope that someone had sent her. The wax was broken and
she had to write the address on the back. Youd never guess that
we were best friends for 10 years.
James had listened, nodding along. When she started talking
about some awful holiday or another, she noticed that he looked
distracted.
Something on your mind? she asked.
I was just thinking; I couldve known all of this already. I could
know you better than anyone else at this point if I hadnt made
that stupid comment on the train 4 and a half years ago. Do you
realize that? That wed been fighting for over 4 years? 4 years
that we couldve been laughing and talking and hanging out. Its
just so depressing to think about.
So dont think about it, she answered simply, leaning back into
his chest. Just think about how we get to do all of that now.

He sighed, wrapping his arms around her, and leaned back.

I do wish wed been able to be friends all these years. Maybe
Alice would have ended up being right. Maybe I would have
started fancying him. Just like I might be now
Lily, he said suddenly, are you going to the Ball tomorrow?
Lily tugged at the thumb holes in her long sleeves. I wasnt really
planning on it. No ones asked me, and all the girls are gone until
New Years. I dont want to show up alone.
Why dont we go together? he asked. When Lily looked up at
him with wide eyes, he quickly amended his question. As friends,
I mean. Obviously. But I dont want to go with someone I dont
really like, and it just makes sense.
Lily nodded.
She understood where he was coming from. It
would be more comfortable to go with her best friend.
Id love to, James, but I dont have a dress or anything. I lent my
old one from last year to a fifth year. Although, I could raid the
girls closets. Im sure all of them didnt take their dresses home,
she mused.
James grinned.
Its a date.

The next evening, Lily Evans found herself walking into the Great
Hall on James Potters arm in a shimmering white dress (it turned
out that her and Alice, thankfully, were still the same size).
She laughed throughout the night as he twirled her and told dumb
jokes and criticized Amanda Richmonds fashion choices.

As the slowly danced at the end of the Ball, they ended up telling
each other more and more about themselves.
I always wondered Lily ventured.
What? James replied.
Lily took a deep breath before she asked the question that had
bothered her since second year. Where do you and Sirius and
Peter and Remus always sneak off to in the middle of the night?
James sharply inhaled before responding too quickly. Im not
sure what youre talking about, he fibbed as they maneuvered
the staircases up to the common room.
Yes you do, Lily said heavily. Ive caught you at least 5 times.
So have the girls. See, I know why Remus would have to
disappear every so often, and Im sure you do too, but I dont get
why the rest of you always go with him.
James stared at her with wide eyes. You know about Moony? he
asked incredulously.
Lily giggled softly. Remus didnt tell you? I figured out in third
year, and I told him that I knew when we were both made
prefects. Another question: whats with your guys nicknames?
Again, I get Moony, but I dont understand the rest of them.
James sighed. Tell you what. I promise Ill tell you on the last day
of the year.
Lily huffed. I get the feeling that youre not talking about the new
year.
The end of sixth year, he corrected with a half-smirk.
Fine, she agreed at they made their way through the portrait
hole. Stopping at the staircase to the girls dorm, Lily looked up at
the ceiling to see

Mistletoe.
Oh, bloody hell.
She saw James take a step backwards. I dont want to mess up
anything between us. Its just a stupid tradition he trailed off,
talking another small step back.
Lily quickly stepped forward and kissed him.
Bloody fucking hell.
Its not like the kiss was bad quite the opposite, actually but
Lily knew it was a mistake.
How could I just mess things up like this?
She pulled away, her fingers still twisted through Jamess hair.
Who are we to break tradition? she whispered before turning
and darting up the stairs.

The next day, Lily apologized vigorously for the kiss. Each time,
James said things ranging from its okay to you were just really
tired and from dont worry, it doesnt change anything to Lily,
I swear, if you apologize one more time Im going to hex you.
Thankfully, things slowly but surely returned to normal as winter
began fading. On Valentines Day (her first at Hogwarts without
getting a valentine from James), Gryffindor went against Slytherin
in the last Quidditch match of the season. Gryffindor won, of
course, but one of the Slytherin beaters got pissed after James
caught the Snitch, so he hit a Bludger right at Jamess head.
James lurched forward, eyes fluttering close, and twisted in
midair, rocketing down to the field. He skidded to a stop by the
center Gryffindor ring. Lily and Remus rushed down from the
stands (being prefects, they were able to sit with the teachers,

which made the trip to James very quick) and knelt down beside
him. Sirius was just touching down on his broom as Lily brushed
Jamess hair back from his forehead.
James? James, can you hear me? she asked anxiously as
Madame Pomfrey came down to kneel next to her.
Miss Evans, she said quietly, I know Ive been training you to
be a Healer, but I think we will both agree that this should be
treated with more expertise. Im going to have to ask you to give
me a little room.
Lily nodded, blinking back tears. Madame Pomfrey had been
helping Lily study to become a Healer since fourth year. Multiple
times, Lily had had to bandage wounds for James and Sirius after
their midnight adventures.
So she settled for sitting at his bedside in the Hospital Wing for
several hours. She stayed after Sirius and Remus had gone back
to the dorm, and she was thankful for it. Silent tears had been
escaping her since the accident, so it was a relief to be alone and
be able to just cry.
Seconds into her sob-fest, she felt a hand gently patting her
shoulder. She looked up to see Jamess eyes open, a half-smirk on
his face.
She sat up and smacked his hand away. Yanking the pillow from
under his head, she screamed at him, punctuating each word with
a hit from the pillow.
James. Michael. Potter! Dont you ever scare me like that again!
James winced slightly when the pillow hit his head. Ow, Lily. Not
the face. Precious cargo here.
Lily handed him the pillow with a sigh. Youre not pregnant,
James. According to Madame Pomfrey, you dont even have a

concussion. Stop being such a baby, she ordered as she moved

her chair closer to him.
He sat up, propping the pillow behind him. If you knew I was fine,
how come you were crying?
Lily flinched. He had her there. Shut up, James.
He smiled, a sweet smile. Why do you care about me so much?
Lily hesitated, not sure what to say.
Youre my friend? My favorite Marauder? The guy I just so happen
to fancy?
Youre my best friend, James.
She couldnt help but notice the subtle way his face fell.
Im sorry, James, she continued, but thats all I can give you
right now.
Liar
Lily screeched and let herself fall forward, burying her face into
Jamess bed, trying to muffle the infuriating voice in her head.
Lily? Lily, are you alright? James asked anxiously.
With a huff and one last prayer for mental silence, she righted
herself. Do you feel well enough to take a walk to the lake with
me?
His face lit up in its usual mischievous smile, and Lily sighed in
relief.

As Lily had predicted, the days leading up to the End of Year Feast
passed unbearably slowly. To distract herself, she threw herself
into studying for exams, even more than she had in years past. Of

course, she was only human, and she couldnt keep her mind off
of Jamess secret for too long.
Occasionally, she and the girls would stay up trying to figure out
what it was. It was an unfruitful process, because Lilys
roommates couldnt be let in on the key piece of information
(Remuss unfortunate werewolf-ness).
One theory that seemed to revisit Lily more than the others was
the one that hypothesized that all of the boys were werewolves.
She constantly dismissed it. It was impossible. For one thing,
James, Sirius, and Peter always came back to the common room
on full moon nights, while Remus always stayed in the Hospital
Wing for a few days. The clinching argument was satisfying in its
simplicity: James Potter could not possibly be a werewolf. It was
something that Lily just knew with her entire being.
Since the moment she had met Remus, she had always known
that there was something different about him. It was evident in
the dark circles under his eyes and the pale skin that lasted for
about a week every month before fading into his usual
complexion. It was marked in the premature sadness in his
features, the too-long-lingering sorrow behind his blue eyes. But,
despite everything, Remus was an amazing person.
James was, too, but he was completely ordinary as far as the
supernatural was concerned (you know, other than being a wizard
and all). Anything that was unusual about him, Lily knew, was
entirely his own doing.
She had absolutely no idea how right she had been.

Lily was aware of how her leg shook restlessly throughout the
entire Feast (her attention was mostly drawn to it by Addies

snapping and threats). She couldnt help it; in a few short

minutes, James Potter would be obligated to tell her his secret.
As soon as Dumbledore dismissed the students, wishing them a
happy summer, Lily jumped up from her seat, grabbed Jamess
hand, and rushed them out to the lake.
Tell me, tell me now. No more stalling, she demanded, her voice
shaking slightly.
James sighed, genuinely upset to have to be telling her. Lily,
after you see what Im about to show you, youre going to think of
me very differently. I just want to make sure you know that this
has been going on since third year, so nothings changed, besides
the fact that you know.
She nodded, feeling wary. What could be so monumental that it
made her feel differently about him?
Taking a deep breath, James shifted.
Literally.
Before her eyes, James turned into a stag, with big hazel eyes and
a dark brown coat. His antlers curved majestically out from either
side of his head.
Prongs.
Gasping, Lily stumbled back, several facts connecting in her head
like puzzle pieces.
The Patronus, her Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher had
said just a few months before, is unique in meaning to each
individual. It represents the thing most important to them. Some
wizard have theorized that ones Patronus represents a witch or
wizards true love, because, more often than not, their happiest
memory is based on them.

Taking a deep breath, attempting to calm herself, Lily took out her
wand. She saw James/Prongs take a cautious step back, like he
though she was going to curse him.
Shaking her head, Lily carefully spoke.
Expecto Patronum.
A silvery swirl of light shot from her wand, taking on the shape of
a ghostly doe. The doe pranced forward to James, tilting her shiny
head at him. Lily watched for his reaction. She wasnt exactly sure
where James connected with the stag, but she knew that at least
some of this had to be registering for him.
Prongss eyes widened, and his head swept gracefully from left to
right, like he was trying to clear his head.
Not able to take any type of suspense, Lily turned and ran back to
the castle, her Patronus vanishing as she did.
Ill talk to him at the start of next year, Lily decided. She needed a
long time to think about what all of this meant.
Trying to look on the bright side, she thought about how good her
chances were of making Head Girl next year.
She was, however, very curious about who would be Head Boy.

VII.
Ugh.
Why was she so disappointed? She was in her last year, she was
officially free of the Trace, and she was Head Girl. She should be
ecstatic, right?
Wrong.

She had been riding on a pretty nice high until she ran into Remus
on the train. She had searched the front of his robes, looking for a
gold badge identical to hers. When she didnt find it, she looked
up at his face, surprised to see him looking incredibly apologetic.
Sorry, Lils. Its not me.
Lily took a wary step backwards. Whos Head Boy, then? she
asked, entirely aware of what the answer would be.
He gave her a sad smile and looked behind him into his
compartment. Sirius, Peter, and James were sitting there, a shiny
silver prefects badge on Siriuss chest (that was a surprise) and a
gold one on Jamess.
Lily let out a huge breath, one she had been holding in all
summer. This was it. She couldnt very well avoid him this year.
They had to spend a lot of time together, leading meetings, going
on patrols, planning events. Her only solace would be in her dorm
room.
She walking slowly back to her compartment. The girls
immediately knew what had happened by the look on her face.
Stacey, Gen, and Lynn looked sympathetic and caring, while Addie
and Alice were barely containing their laughter. Alice sobered up a
bit after Lily shot her a glare, but Addison was snorting through
her nose; something about this was very amusing to her.
Would you like to share what you find so funny, Diggory? Lily
huffed.
Addie straightened up a bit in her chair, trying to fix her smile into
a serious expression like Lynns.
Its nothing, really. I was just curious whether youd gotten the
password for your new room yet.

Lilys eyebrows screwed up in confusion. New room? What do

you mean?
Alice couldnt help it; she burst into a fit of obnoxious giggles.
Between shaking breaths, she elaborated on Addies question.
Have you forgotten? The Heads share a dormitory on the fourth
floor. Two rooms, one common room. Separate from everyone
else, of course.